Painting The Wolverine Red
by Mercutio
Summary: An adult Jubilee knows what she wants. But when it's Wolverine, who's going to win?
1. Painting the Wolverine Red

Painting The Wolverine Red

**Painting the Wolverine Red**  
by [Mercutio][1]

* * *

All of my stories are available on my website ([http://www.europa.com/~mercutio/Stories.html][2]). This story is the first in a series of five stories. The other four are available only on my [website][2]. 

* * *

Jubilee stood in her room just after ten in the morning, her arms crossed over her rather skimpy bathing suit. A bright-red bikini with black polka dots, it outlined her curves well. And did she ever have curves. She held her hands up to her breasts, looking in the mirror. Yep, she definitely had curves. She smiled, and pulled on her sunglasses. Whatever her age, she wasn't about to let anyone think that she didn't have sex appeal. Particularly not Wolverine. 

And if he didn't like it, then he could lump it. 

Whistling, she grabbed her sunscreen and skipped out the door to join the rest of the group outside, X-Men, GenX and assorted others altogether. They all needed more time like this, she decided. What was the use of saving the world if you couldn't enjoy it once in a while? If you spent all your time fighting and battling with all the evil out there, you could forget why you were doing it, and start thinking like them. She knew. She'd spent the time with Wolvie in Madripoor. By the X-Men's standards, everyone there was on the side of evil; some were just worse than others, an' Wolverine was no exception. 

She'd clung to Wolverine. Her life for his, and if loyalty didn't cut it by the high-and-mighty standards of the X-Men, then Jubilee didn't care what did. The death of her parents lost her everything meaningful, and saving Wolverine's life had put back that meaning. He meant something to her, and she was not about to lose him. 

A quick look out the window on her way down the stairs confirmed that fun was going on while she dawdled inside. Baseball, volleyball, sunbathing, water fights -- like the Danger Room, only with all the dangers transformed into pillow fights and sporting matches. Jubilee wondered if anyone would be up for the game of paintball she planned to suggest. With Wolvie on her team, they'd massacre the rest of them. 'Course, she had more of a private war than a massacre in mind. 

Wolverine. Logan. Something ached within her, and his image formed itself in her mind. Strong, broad, suited in his blue and yellows, and usually snarling. Her protector. Her protectee. The one source of stability in her world. The only source of stability she cared to maintain for a long time. He'd been her father, her brother -- and her infatuation. She'd been jealous of any female who came close to him, jealous of all the women Logan had ever looked at much less the ones he'd given his love too. And he'd put up with all of it, and never said anything to indicate that she should behave otherwise. 'Cept when he thought she might be getting into trouble. Wolvie got a little stuffy about letting her get into trouble. 

She stopped in the empty kitchen and snagged a Coke from the fridge. Shoulda been diet -- every other American girl her age was on a diet -- but using mutant powers could take up a lot of calories if you worked out every day in a place like the Danger Room. None of the X-Men were in any danger of getting fat. One of these days Remy was just going to blow away in one of Storm's tempests. 

Not that she cared about Gambit. She liked him, sure, but then she liked Banshee and Everett and Storm and a whole lot of other people too. She understood the difference between liking someone and loving them. From nineteen looking back on thirteen, it was a big difference. She understood a lot more now, and it altered everything she felt about the man called Wolverine. 

Another image flashed through her mind. A recent image, from a visit to the mansion several months before. Logan, out of uniform, out of his clothes entirely, stepping out of the shower. She'd slipped into his room, looking for him, and hadn't realized where he was. He'd noticed her almost immediately, but not before she'd gotten a searing glimpse of his naked body. Wet. Damp. Smelling of his ever-present musk, and the cleanness of soap, the odors close in the confined space of the room. The dark hair covering his body -- everywhere -- slicked down, and the bunched muscles of his upper legs. She liked the way his stomach slid down into his hips, and what laid below... Jubilee shivered at the memory. At the time, she'd been more embarrassed than he had, but it wasn't 'til after he'd pulled the towel around his waist and greeted her gruffly that she'd realized that all she was thinking was, 'I want that'. Oh, there was a difference between liking and wanting, and it hurt. In a flashing, aching, stomach-clenching way. Her childish yearnings didn't compare. The fleeting, giggly dates she had been on, and heard about from her GenX compatriots didn't compare. Awkward fumbling with boys who didn't seem to know anything, 'specially about women or life, did not stand up to the image, that image, of Logan. 

She was grown up now, as grown up as she was willing to wait around for. After Logan had married Viper... Jubilee shuddered. That was one royal mistake, and she wasn't sorry at all that Viper was dead. The woman had hurt Logan, and Jubilee couldn't forgive her for that. She wasn't going to wait for him to fall for someone else, nosirree. She met the age of consent in every U.S. state, and most of Asia as well. She'd checked. Maybe Logan would think he was too old for her, but she sure as Rogue and Gambit squabbling was no longer too young for him. 

The door pushed open at her touch, and she could suddenly see much better. Such were the perils of wearing shades indoors. Green sprawling lawn met her eyes, and superheroes playing as though they were all at a company picnic somewhere. Which, she supposed, they were. 

She searched the grounds, and spotted Wolverine relaxing at a table with Gambit, drinking a beer. The tables set out came straight out of a picnic from the times of Regency England -- tables fit for a grand dining room instead of the outdoors with the linens to match. And his table was right across from the volleyball game. Jubilee smiled. Everything looked beautiful. Nothing confined his hair -- secure, he needed no hat or mask to conceal him here -- which spiked in its usual points, three open buttons on his white shirt revealed dark, curling hair, and the cut of his black pants revealed that he planned to do some athletics later in the day. His bare feet curled into the thick grass; he was letting some of his animal side out, without having to become the beast completely. Jubilee grinned; maybe the Wolvster was finally growing up. 

Yes, everything looked beautiful. And it was kind of a pretty day, too. 

* * *

"Wolverine? Logan? Pardon? Excusez-moi?" 

A potato chip charged with energy landed on Logan's paper plate, exploding in a burst just loud enough to startle, but not hot enough to burn. 

A large hairy hand grasped Gambit's neck. Without turning to look at the strangling man, Wolverine said quietly yet fiercely before releasing him, "I hear you, Remy. I can hear what McCoy is sayin' to Jeannie clear across the pond. Maybe I don't want to listen." 

"What are you doing? You can tell Gambit. Gambit can keep a secret." 

Wolverine said nothing. Gambit turned his head to follow the other man's gaze. He saw a volleyball game in progress, two on two, hitting the ball across the net. Nothin' special. 'Cept, of course, the participants. Storm and Sam, versus Angel and a very attractive young woman in two even more attractive scraps of red and black fabric. He gazed at her appreciatively. "Gambit see what you're starin' at. He can appreciate de pretty young femme wit de black hair." 

The stranglehold immediately returned, along with a low-pitched growl. "That's Jubilee, Cajun. Watch your mouth." 

"Dat's Jubilee?!" Gambit felt his throat after Wolverine removed his hand. It didn't feel permanently crumpled. Yet. Perhaps it was time to look for Rogue. Maybe she'd fuss over his injury. An' mebbe she'd like t'hear about how one hairy beast was actin' like Jubilee was his own personal property an' anyone who came close was lookin' to feel some claws. 

* * *

Jubilee didn't miss that Logan had watched the volleyball game closely. Not that she wanted him to catch her looking, of course. She didn't want to be obvious about what she was doing. Not yet. 

But she knew he'd been more interested in her than in his beer or in Gambit's conversation. 

When the game ground down to a halt with herself and Angel the clear victors, she approached Wolverine, who now looked away as though she hadn't just been the most important thing in the world to him. At least, she hoped that she'd been the most important thing in the world to him. She'd thought about kissing Angel after the game, but hadn't. She didn't mind playing the jealousy card, but Jubilee knew that Logan would be able to smell the other man on her. And he was the only man whose scent she wanted on her body. 

As it was, what Logan smelled primarily was sweat. And Jubilee. 

She perched on the edge of the table. "Hiya, Wolvie. What'd'ya think of the game?" 

"It was good. I guess." 

Like he hadn't watched the whole thing! She tried another tack. "Like my outfit?" 

He didn't look up. His gaze remained focused on his hands, which were wrapped around the neck of his beer bottle. "Needs more fabric." 

She smiled hugely. So she was getting to him. "Why'd'ya think I dress like this? Huh?" 

He shrugged. "'Cause y'want to, kid?" 

"Maybe it's because I want you to stop calling me kid." 

"Whatever you say..." 

Before he could finish the sentence and call her a kid again, Jubilee leaned over, her elbows touching the table and her face nearly level with his. Her bikini top covered her decently. If she stood up straight and didn't jiggle. When she bent over, hunching her shoulders together and wiggling a bit, it covered a lot less. 

All she heard from Logan was silence. _Like what you see, Wolvie?_ Jubilee asked herself triumphantly. Wouldn't do to say that out loud. He'd spook if she sprung how she really felt on him all at once. Not that it hadn't occurred to her to simply show up naked in his bed. Not that he'd let her past his door -- just the sound of the door opening would have him awake and wary. And she didn't want this man -- soon to be her man if all went well -- wary of her ever. 

No, she had a different plan in mind. "Y'know, I think I could scare up a paintball game for later -- afternoon maybe -- wanna play?" He didn't say anything and she wheedled, "C'mon, Wolvie, I promise not to hit you too hard." 

He grinned at her, one of the wondrous smiles she'd seen too rarely of late, "You and what army?" 

She waved her hand around vaguely. "I'm sure we can get somebody to play." 

* * *

It turned out that a lot of people wanted to play. Even the ever-stern, ever-dutiful Cyclops. 'Course, Scott was calling it a chance to practice their shooting skills, something that they never spent as much time on as they did their mutant abilities, but Jubilee planned to have fun. Maybe a little more fun than anybody else was going to have. Everyone else but Wolverine. 

But there was lots of fun to go before the big game, and Jubilee was everywhere. Not with Logan, though. Not for more than a few minutes at a time. She checked in with him before going swimming, brushing herself up against him, knowing that if she could feel his solid, warm presence (always a pleasure), then he could certainly feel hers. Then competed in a 'race' where each contestant could use only their powers to move them. The flyers went first, of course -- nobody else could compete with them. Storm won that handily, but only after using a downdraft on Angel to push him playfully toward the ground. And then it was Jubilee's turn. Not that her powers were much use at moving anything, but for the fun of it. Giggling, she and Gambit used micro-explosions to scoot themselves a few feet at a time toward the finish line while Kitty Pryde ran to the finish on a layer of solidified air. 

Hank McCoy scowled down at the pair of them as she and Remy finally crossed the finish line. "I did not create a prize for completing the contest at the most leisurely pace." 

Jubilee grinned up at him. "Why not?" 

She and Gambit sat on the ground looking plaintively up at the blue beast standing over them. 

Two pink ribbons showered down on their heads. "Silliness," Hank muttered. "Rampant silliness." 

Jubilee jumped up, brushed herself off and took her ribbon over to show Wolverine. He stood with the Professor, discussing something so boring that she couldn't be bothered to listen to it -- who cared about Charles Dickens anyway? Certainly not her. Not after being force-fed it in the X-Men, not even if Wolvie liked that stuff. 

Wolverine turned his head to her. "You remember Mr. Cruncher from 'A Tale of Two Cities', don't you?" 

Jubilee made a face. "Not hardly. And I don't want to." 

Xavier looked faintly shocked, and Jubilee hoped that he wouldn't tell Emma or Sean to put Dickens on the GenX curriculum. Sure, maybe they needed the scholarly education to go with the more practical stuff. But that didn't mean that she had to sit still for it. 

She held up her ribbon. "Got a prize for being the slowest in the footrace. Tied with Remy." 

He turned a little red under his tan and her eyes gleamed. Possessive, are we? But Wolverine recovered quickly. "Slowest, huh? You slowin' down, darlin'?" 

"Didn't you hear? Slow and steady wins the race." There was one wonderful thing about Wolverine. He was just an inch shorter than she was. She didn't have to lean up to him at all; his face was right there where she could reach it. She hugged him quickly, and when he hugged her back, kissed his lips. 

Then she was off. "I've gotta take a shower before the big game! You're going down, Wolvie!" 

He looked after her, and thought as Jubilee disappeared into the house. _I don't know what race you're trying to win, Jubes, but you're playing with somethin' you can't control._ Or was she? He didn't know. Half of him said that these could still be the actions of the little girl he'd known, and the other half -- the half that had pulsed with a heavy urge as her lips met his -- said that his little girl had done a lot of growin' up since she left him and joined Generation X. 

* * *

Once safely inside the doors, Jubilee felt free to breathe. She'd felt Wolverine looking after her, had thought that he'd come very close to responding to her kiss. Not so close that he'd felt he had to back off -- she had been careful of that -- but close enough to make the playful gesture something more than a gesture. A threat, maybe. Or better yet, a promise. 

But first she wanted to take a shower. Her skin felt sweaty from the day's activities, and she was pretty sure that there were grass stains from her backwards journey across the lawn to 'win' her race. For what was coming up next, she wanted to be clean and dry. If she changed clothes right now, her sweat would dry on the insides of her clothes, leaving her cold and damp, not to mention smelly. 'Sides, with what she was going to wear to the paintball game, she didn't need an extra layer of dirt making it harder to fit into her clothes. 

Once clean and dry, Jubilee reached for her outfit. She'd been thinking about this for a while, and while she hadn't strictly had an outfit made specifically for this occasion, it sure was handy that it'd do. The skintight green suit fit her perfectly. Green wasn't her favorite color, but the black triangles at her neck, wrists, waist and ankles helped. Made it non-dorky anyway. Washable, bulletproof, and easy to change in and out of, the uniform fit her well. 

Jubilee glanced in the mirror, seeing her mop of black hair raging over a stranger in night and forest. _I hardly know who I am myself. I'm not the same Jubilee. And Logan better notice that, or I'm going to hit him with a lot more than paint balls._

When she joined the rest of the players outside, Jubilee looked immediately for Logan. He'd changed his shirt to a green plaid, but left the rest of his clothing the same. Obviously, he didn't feel at a disadvantage in his picnic clothes. The others had different ideas. A paint ball hit very hard. Not the same as a punch from, say, a Sentinel, but hard enough to leave a bruise on everyone who didn't have super-tough skin, Wolvie included. 'Course, unlike everyone else, he'd heal those bruises probably as fast as they appeared. Clothing ranged from camouflage to uniforms to the duster jacket that Gambit wore. A superhero could afford to be philosophical about skulking through the woods, kneeling in the dirt, crossing streams, and taking bruising hits of paint, an' go out in street clothes -- but why suffer if you didn't have to? 

She took a mask, fastened it securely -- a little paint in the face could ruin your whole day -- strapped on a belt with places to store her paint pellets, and got a gun. Not everyone took a mask or a gun. Gambit obviously planned to propel his paint with something other than a firearm, and Wolverine had no need of the mask. 'Course, if someone popped him in the face, he'd still be dead for the duration of that part of the game, but he wouldn't need surgery either. 

"Two teams," Cyclops said firmly. "I lead the first, and Wolver--" 

"Leave me out of this," Wolverine said firmly. "I'm gonna go out there to hunt. I don't need to waste no time leadin' people around." 

"I'll lead the second," Emma Frost, one of Jubilee's teachers, said. "I trust there will be no problems with that?" No one replied. "Good. Generation X, you need some practice working as a team, you'll be with me." She looked at Cyclops. "Your turn." 

Wolverine stepped to the side of the ruby-visored man, and Jubilee groaned inwardly. Thwarted! She didn't care what happened for the main part of the game, but it would've been nice to partner up with Wolvie again. It'd been a while. And to have to stick with Frosty because of teamwork! What a lame-oid excuse. As if they hadn't been working together for years now, at least, those who'd been around the longest. She, Husk, Synch and Chamber could 'graduate' up to one of the other teams whenever they wanted, even if Frosty wasn't saying anything about it. The others shoulda gone years ago -- she was the youngest of the bunch -- but Cassidy and Frost weren't exactly egging them to go. Jubilee hadn't bothered to spill that information to the others yet. She had her own plans, and as long as she ended up with Wolvie, she didn't care which team she was on. But first, Generation X was going to kick some X-Men butt. They'd show the White Queen what teamwork was about. 

The two teams paired off, and their referee -- Hank McCoy -- led them off to a spot of the woods set aside earlier in the afternoon as their first field of play. 

* * *

Three hours and a lot of paint later, a bloody but unbowed Frosty team sat down on a fallen tree. Generation X clumped together, Jonothan and Paige flanking Jubilee. 

"That last round almost killed me," Paige said. Yellow paint dripped from her chin to the ground. The mask covered her eyes and nose, but a well-placed -- or unfortunately placed -- shot had still hit her in the mouth. "And this stuff tastes so gross you wouldn't believe it." 

Jonothan gestured, pointed to Paige, then held himself very still, staring into the woods. 

While he held his hand over the lower half of his face mimicking laughter, Paige said sourly, "I know, I know. If I'd been paying attention, the Iceman wouldn't have had his chance to pop me like that. A little more warning, and I coulda done something about it." 

"Not that you did much better, Jonothan," Jubilee said, pointing to the marks scattered down his legs. "What were you doing on that last one? Trying to take the flag to them? All we had to do was hang on to it, not run it around." 

He shrugged, and then looked eloquently at her own figure. 

Jubilee grinned. "Hey, my marks don't show. That's what you get for being dressed right. Dirt, paint, it all just slides right off." 

Paige sighed, letting as much of herself go as she could. "Next time -- if I'm insane enough to do this again -- I want an outfit like yours. Something that doesn't get wet and sticky and filthy. I'm dead. As exercise, this beats everything we do at the Academy. I feel like we've been out here eight hours, not three." 

"Tell me about it." Jubilee did her best to rest, too. Twilight was drawing near; they had already been shot out of the last game of the day. Everyone else was waiting for the game to finish, to congratulate the victors and celebrate small victories won. Then they'd head back to the mansion, probably for some soaking in the pool before carrying the party into the wee hours of the morning. The game was over for Paige and Jonothan, and they looked forward to the rest of this rare vacation from their demanding duties. 

But for her, it was just beginning, and she had to rest quickly and pray that her endurance did not fail her, because the best part of the day was about to start. 

Soon enough, the last surviving members of the game came up, and everyone clustered together. Banshee triumphantly held up the flag, proclaiming the victory of the White Queen's team. In a shout that held only the smallest hint of his sonic powers, he yelled, "We did it!" 

Jubilee jumped up, cheering with the rest of them. 

"It was good practice," Cyclops said. "I think we all learned something today. This could be of practical use in the future." 

"Cyke," Wolverine said, hitting Scott on the shoulder. "You need to get some beer into ya." 

Unexpectedly, Scott smiled. "Make it a lime spritzer and you've got a deal." 

Wolverine was about to turn away to head back to the mansion, and Jubilee knew it was now or never. 

Quickly, she lined up her shot -- at this range she couldn't miss him -- and got him good on the center of his chest. His shirt had disappeared earlier in the game, and she painted his chest in dayglo yellow. 

"Hey, kid! Whaddaya think you're doing?" 

She shot him again, this time aiming more carefully, hitting him on the very top of his head, soaking his hair with more of the yellow paint. It dripped down onto his face. The direct shots from ten feet had to hurt -- Jubilee would not have tried it with anyone less durable than Wolverine -- but the effect of the paint was hysterical. 

The grouping of other players split apart, some laughing at the sight, and others quietly cautious. Wolverine did not have a temper problem. To call what he possessed a 'temper problem' was much like calling a volcanic eruption a 'hiccup'. 

"Darlin', I'm afraid you're going to have to pay for this," he growled. 

Jubilee grinned wildly. That was what she'd been waiting for. "You're going to have to catch me first!" She sprinted into the woods, taking the advantage of surprise to get a headstart on him. She wasn't going to be able to get away from him, but then, she didn't want to. 

The loud rumbling sound of an enraged male animal followed her, and she ran faster. Maybe it'd be best to put enough distance between them to let him cool down a bit. 

* * *

A moment of silence followed Wolverine and Jubilee's abrupt exit. 

"I'll go after them," Cyclops offered. "Obviously something is wrong with Jubilee, and while her idea of a joke was inappropriate, she doesn't deserve what Wolverine could do to her if he catches her." 

"When," Banshee corrected. 

"Yes, when." 

Jean smiled. "No, don't go after them." 

"Why not?" 

Her smile was enigmatic. She'd caught a trailing thought as Jubilee had disappeared into the woods that had sounded a great deal like _please don't follow us_. 'Us', hmm? If the girl had said 'me', Jean might have been concerned for her. But 'us' implied something different, something she wasn't about to share with everyone else. 

"I just have this feeling that she doesn't want us to follow," she said. 

"Not follow?" Gambit asked. He grinned with all the confidence of a knowledgeable Southern man with a French background. "Gambit think dat..." 

Jean 'elbowed' him in the ribs telekinetically. "I make a mean mint julep, Remy." 

"Do you, chere?" he said, amusement in his eyes at what he had guessed. "Gambit think dat he want to find out about dat." 

* * *

Jubilee gasped for breath. Paige had been right -- playing paintball was harder than their usual work-outs. Her brief rest after the game -- despite deliberately letting herself shot out early so that she could have more time -- had not been enough to restore her stamina. But Wolverine was still not on her heels. 

She wondered if he'd stopped following her. If he'd given up the chase after all... if she were simply too uninteresting to pursue... 

A ball of paint hit her in the thigh. The armor in her suit protected her from most of the pain, and adrenaline from the rest, but someone -- Wolverine! -- was shooting at her. 

She stopped, a sudden wild grin appearing on her face. She looked around, got her bearings, but didn't see him. Which way to run? 

Another pellet of paint hit her, this one on the shoulder, and she took off in the opposite direction, towards heavier underbrush. Best to get out of the way... and not make this chase too easy. 

Branches hit her in the face, the mask taking the brunt of the blows. Her hair snagged though, hairs catching and breaking as she sprinted, jumped, and ducked her way through the woods. The gathering dimness did not make it any easier to navigate her way through the obstacles. 

A snarling figure grabbed her by the arm, and spun her around. "I've got you now." 

She turned, flashed a low-grade paf at him -- she didn't want to hurt him, and Wolvie was more sensitive to her powers than to anyone else's pounding -- and ran off again, laughing this time. 

"You little witch," he growled. 

"Catch me if you can!" she shouted back gaily. Another person might have been scared of the angry beast following her, but Jubilee understood him. She knew him thoroughly, and was aware that he would not harm her. 

She darted through the trees, searching for the spot she'd spied out the evening before, after arriving at the mansion. Not too far now. A few steps, nothing more, and she'd burst out of the trees into a small, secluded glen. Pulling off her mask, she glanced around to see him right behind, and sprinted for the forest a few feet away. 

A tackling dive brought her to the ground, and three hundred pounds of solid man pinned her to the grass. He pulled up slightly and roughly hauled her over so that she was looking up into his face. He lowered his weight back down onto her lower body, preventing any escape. 

Breathless, Jubilee looked up into his face, a laugh caught on her own. Wolverine vibrated with tension and elemental male power, his hands biting into her arms as though he'd never let her go. His expression held what someone else would call anger, and what she was hoping she could transmute into passion. 

Slowly so that he'd realize she wasn't trying to get away, she pulled her arm away from his grip, and laid her hand against his stubbled cheek. "Logan." She exerted a subtle downward pressure on his cheek, pulling the adamantine man toward her as easily as though he were made out of paper. 

Rough lips invaded her own, bruising her with force and need. Her arms reached up to hold him and pull his head closer to her own. He closed the distance hungrily, his body grinding into hers. The pressure excited her, and she arched against him, telling him as fervently as she could that she wanted this too. 

Jubilee heard his claws unsheathe, and he held his right hand above her. She had no fear that he might use those claws to skewer her throat; instead, she felt a rising excitement as she anticipated those cool talons slicing open her uniform and exposing her heated flesh to his gaze. 

Instead his weight left her body, a chill taking its place. She looked around frantically, almost ready to yell out before she saw him sitting next to her, head bowed. _Oh, no. Not what I was afraid of. He doesn't want me. He really does still think of me as a little kid. And I made him come after me -- I planned this all out to make sure he'd want to tear the clothes off my body, an' instead I make him feel guilty. God, I feel like Lowtown trash._

"Logan--" she said, sitting up. 

He extended an arm, careful not to touch her. "Don't come near me. Get the hell away from me as fast as you can." 

She closed her eyes, a sob welling up inside of her. It was that bad, huh? So bad he couldn't even bear to look at her, or touch her. What had she done? Wolverine had never done anything to harm her. And she'd hurt the man inside, where she knew he already had too many scars. 

All she'd wanted to do was heal a few of those, fill some of the most gaping wounds with herself... 

And instead... "I'm sorry, Wolvie," she said, not beginning to cry -- which would at least have been dignified -- but instead starting to blubber. "I'm so sorry." 

The words seemed to be dragged up from deep inside him. "It's not your fault. Never your fault." 

"It's not my fault?" she asked curiously, her tears shocked into stopping. "It's not anyone else's fault." 

His head snapped up. "Darlin' -- Jubilee -- never let anyone tell you that rape is your fault. It isn't." 

"Rape?!" she asked, disbelievingly. 

"That's what it's called when a man forces himself on a woman. Like I-- I was about to do to you." His head dropped again. "I got no self control. I was on ya, and I didn't care what you wanted -- I was going to take you right there." 

Her mouth began to curve. Not too much -- Logan was hurting and that hurt her also -- but somewhat as she realized that what she had been worrying about didn't matter at all to him. She was old enough in his eyes, and desirable, too. Her plan worked perfectly -- 

-- except that it had made Wolverine feel guilty for actions that she'd done her best to get him to do. 

She rolled over, kneeling in front of him. Her hands went to his face, pulling it upward so that she could look him in the eyes. He resisted her pull, but not enough, and she looked into his tormented face. 

"Wolvie, I want you," Jubilee said earnestly. "I wanted you to chase me out here, and I wanted you to do just what you were doing. An' and I want you to do what you were doing again. Only more this time." 

His lips twisted. "Like an animal?" 

"Like a very passionate man. Like you." She kissed him, still holding his face between her hands. 

He groaned under her lips, his mouth opening. Her tongue darted inside, finding his and mating with it. "Don't do this, darlin'." 

"Why?" she asked, pulling back enough to look at him, her forehead resting on his. "Because you don't want me, or 'cause you're afraid I won't like it? Because I love everything you've done to me so far, and I want more of it." 

His hands reached out, flexing on her hips with force just short of bruising, as though reassuring himself of his ability to touch her. Wolverine looked at her intensely, eyes burning. "Do you mean that?" 

She nodded, and he captured her mouth, returning her kiss, but with years of experience added to it. And indisguisable desire. His lips twisted on hers, seeking a deeper contact, as though he looked for her soul rather than a mere kiss. 

He fell back, pulling her down on top of him. She took advantage of her position, hands spreading out on his hairy -- and heavily painted -- chest. Her hands flexed against his muscles, nails biting into the skin in tiny pinpricks. He groaned, and she bent her mouth down to surround his nipple. Sucking on it, she sat up suddenly, legs falling to either side of his broad hips and started spitting out the paint. 

Wolverine chuckled. "You shouldn't'a hit me there if you wanted to do that." 

Still making a face, she said, "It didn't occur to me at the time. That stuff tastes nasty." 

"We could go back to the mansion -- take a shower--" 

"Oh, no, you don't. I've got you right where I want you and you're not getting out of this so easily." 

He grinned, then rolled over, pinning her underneath him again. "Darlin', you've got me, an' I ain't goin' nowhere." 

His knees slipped between her thighs, stretching her legs in a very pleasurable, very full sort of way. A taste of things to come. He came down against her, all of his body against all of hers, and she sighed deeply at the feeling of that weight, that solid masculine weight. 

"You sure I ain't hurtin' you?" he asked anxiously. 

Jubilee's face blossomed into an ear-to-ear smile. This was her Wolvie. Gentle and kind as he was honorable. Trying not to hurt her, afraid that he would, that he might drive her away by being his savage, beautiful self. She understood him, understood the things he didn't have to say and would probably never say. 

"No. You're not. Not at all." Her hands reached down daringly to grab his hips and she pulled him more tightly against her. 

He ground his pelvis against her, and she met him, her need almost as great as his own. She had been anticipating this all day. All year. Most of her mutant life. 

"You're killin' me, darlin'," he said. 

Jubilee raised her hand to his face, mimicking the position that they had been in when he first pinned her to the ground. With her other hand, she pulled up his right forearm, his wrist pointed toward her chest. "Do you remember where we were?" 

He pulled his arm back to give himself room, and then claws sprouted from his wrist. "Yeah, I think I do." 

Fabric tore as three adamantine steel claws traced delicately down her body. She had been split neck to knee, so gently that she had felt none of the pain that could have been caused by his sharp claws. She trusted Wolverine, and she wanted him to know it. 

That she also got her clothes sliced off was a fringe benefit. 

He retracted his claws, hands dipping underneath it, his mouth following in a trail of fire. She moaned, twisting to give him more access to her body. She wanted him, wanted all of him, wanted to run with him, wild and free in his arms. 

Then his hands were freeing her body from the remnants of her uniform, and she felt his own body naked against hers. The skin-to-skin contact charged her, and she arched up against him again, wanting nothing more to be surrounded by him, permeated thoroughly by Wolverine. 

Reaching between her thighs, he obliged, slipping himself inside her. She was already wet, ready for him, for her mate. He found his rhythm almost immediately, thrusting ruthlessly against her, his body taut and straining, pushing her fiercely against the ground. 

_If this is savage,_ Jubilee thought disjointedly, her mind and body overwhelmed by the sensual onslaught, _then I wanna go feral._

* * *

The light of the waxing moon filled the clearing in the woods, tall trees and the stars the only observers of the couple making love on the grassy floor of the glen below. 

Wolverine shuddered against her, weight on his forearms, his fingers gripping her shoulders tightly. Jubilee watched his contorted face as he surged into her, coming in a burst of wild passion. 

His full weight slumped forward onto her as his body went limp. She liked it. 

She held him close, letting his head rest against her shoulder. Her hands wound into his sweaty dark hair, fingers scrunching on his scalp. A bright fullness was exploding inside her chest. She loved him. She loved Wolverine, and he was hers. A rush of feminine possessiveness went through her. She had given him pleasure and he was hers. 

And that was a new experience for her. A shiver ran through Jubilee as she remembered all of Wolverine's loves, and how easily he changed from one to another. Could she handle it if he left her? If she meant less to him than he meant to her? 

Caressing his neck as her hands wandered downward, she pushed the thought aside. It was a tomorrow kind of thought, the kind that ruined today. And if today was all she might have, then she bloody well was going to enjoy it. 

"Sorry," he said in a thick voice, when he finally spoke. His eyes were heavy-lidded, but the light of passion still burned within them. "Didn't take enough time..." 

Amused, she asked, "Do you mean that you usually do this slow and gently?" 

He shrugged slightly, a movement she felt with her own body. "Somethin' like that." 

"What a waste." 

His head jerked up. "What're you sayin'?" 

"That I like you just the way you are. Duh." 

His smile warmed her. She saw it in the light reflected from the gibbous moon. "Y'know, I heal almost as fast from sex as I do from injury." 

Jubilee smiled mischievously at him, "You mean you can do this again? Ohmigod! How very!" 

He growled deep in his throat, and she felt herself responding to that sound, pressing herself against him. He held himself over her, as if sensing how much she wanted to be connected to his body. Forget sensing. She reached up, holding him to her as fiercely as she could. 

His hand reached between her thighs, blunt fingers finding the center of her desire. She gasped with the sudden shock of having pressure exactly where she needed it. "Oooh... that feels so good... don't stop..." 

"I won't, darlin'." 

His voice thrilled her, and she bucked against his hand, feeling jolts of something she couldn't identify unless they were charges of electricity sparking inside her -- and wouldn't that be a superpower! -- and blindly following them wherever they might lead. 

He pushed himself into her again, not removing his hand and she writhed against this fresh assault on her nerves, which were crying out for more sensation, more of his hardness and of what his hand was doing to her body. 

"Ohhh, Wolvie. Don't let me go. Too much, I can't-- please..." 

"I'm here, Jubes," he said, his breath brushing her ear. "Not goin' anywhere." 

She felt his weight against her, really felt that reassuring bulk, and knew that he was there. He poured himself into her, his roar of completion stunning her. The sound set off a deep wanting inside her, and suddenly she was there on the edge of a frightening precipice, and the only thing saving her were Wolverine's arms, the only thing keeping safe as she was blown over the edge. 

Blood hammered in her ears, and the stars spun crazily as her over-used senses felt no more. 

A steady beat under her ear woke her. Parts of her felt chilled, while the rest of her -- most of her -- laid curled up against something emitting great amounts of heat. She was -- she had been with -- Wolverine! 

Her head jerked up suddenly, but stopped as she felt a firm hand pressing her against a furry chest. She lay on top of him now, legs twined between his, the front of her body in contact with him from toes to cheek. 

"It's all right, darlin'. Wondered when you'd wake up." 

She blushed furiously as she realized what had happened. She'd blacked out as the result of his love-making. As the result of her orgasm. And didn't that make the attempts of whatshisname in the Debate Club look pathetic? Yes, it did. "Now, I guess. What time is it?" 

She couldn't see his face. "'Bout midnight." 

"I hope nobody's worried about us." 

He chuckled. "I think they guessed what would happen. When you ran away... I knew what I wanted to do to you." 

"What?" she asked breathless, suddenly anxious for his masculine approval of her. 

"Sweetheart, I wanted to catch you and hold you down an'... well, I s'pose I didn't think about what would I wanted to do after that..." 

"You felt though." 

His hands flexed on her. "Oh, yeah. I did." 

They laid there for a long moment, savoring the feel of their bodies against each other. 

"So," he asked finally. "Why the paintball game? Why the chase? Why go to all this trouble?" 

"I just wanted to make it good for you, Wolvie." 

"Make it good? For me?" Wolverine threw his head up and laughed. 

Jubilee flinched, pulling back from that laughter. 

He felt her withdrawal and bent his head down to hers, his hands lifting her up to his mouth as he kissed her intimately. "No, darlin', I ain't laughin' at you. It's just I never heard anyone say that to me before." 

"Then everyone else is an idiot." 

"I ain't arguin' that with you." He pressed another kiss to her neck, hot wetness sliding along her collarbone. "You made it good, Jubes. Real good." 

"So chasing down young women is a fantasy of yours?" she bantered with him, her hands touching him, trying to return with interest some of what his mouth was making her feel. 

He stopped what he was doing, and she almost cried out at the sudden absence of his lips. Wolverine's eyes met hers clearly. "I never wanted to show you the animal in me." 

What? She'd already seen him in every possible situation, beserk, calm, happy, grieving... "You mean, you didn't want to act like that with me?" 

"No. I'm a man--" 

She giggled, and resisted the urge to reach a hand down to brush his groin. Instead she squirmed on top of him. "I'm aware of that." 

"Darlin'--" 

"I love you just the way you are, Wolvie. Animal, man, every part of you. I wanted you to chase me down. I wanted -- I want -- the parts of you that you don't dare let go." 

He crushed her to him without warning. "Jubes, I don't know what I did to deserve you--" 

"I think it had something to do with letting me save your life all those years ago. I think I fell in love with you then." 

"While you were screaming at me like Banshee for inconveniencin' you?" he asked, voice amused. 

"Right then, and ever since. I've just been waiting to grow up." 

He shook his head, marveling at that, but not releasing her from his tight grip. "An' I never knew a thing." 

"Can I help it if you're naturally dense?" 

He answered her with another shattering kiss, his hard mouth claiming hers. 

Jubilee let him kiss her from a long while, then pulled away from him. A wild idea flashed into her head, and she grinned as she stood up. She'd felt his hardness, and she knew he wanted her again. As she wanted to be caught again, and held by him. 

Wolverine rolled into a kneeling position, capturing her easily, and kissed her again. "What're you grinnin' at?" 

No problems with his night vision. Jubilee stepped away from him, backing toward the trees. "Race you back to the house. Catch me if you can!" 

She was out of sight in a heartbeat, and Wolverine was right behind her. 

Rippling laughter filled the darkened woods, rippling, satiated laughter. 

- the end - 

* * *

   [1]: mailto:mercutio@europa.com
   [2]: http://www.europa.com/~mercutio/Stories.html



	2. True Confessions of a Firecracker

SUMMARY: Wolverine/Jubilee. Wolverine and an adult Jubilee have consummated their relationship, but now they have to 'fess up to the rest of the X-Men. And whatever happened to their clothes?

ARCHIVE: Please. As often as possible and wherever you like.

True Confessions of a Firecracker, by Mercutio

Part One

Two twigs dug into her back. At least, Jubilee could swear she felt two separate points of very itchy, irritating contact against her bare skin. 'Course, the scratches she'd received from the tough grass covering the ground hurt a bit, too, but it was the maddening tickle of the wood against her skin that she couldn't bear.

She squirmed, hoping that the action would lessen the torment. It didn't. The rest of the day had gone so well - why did reality have to intrude now? 'Course, she couldn't very well complain about *how* she'd picked up the bits of tree debris. Jubilee smiled. She'd chosen a rare get-together of several of the various groups affiliated with the X-Men to stage a campaign for Wolverine's affections. Forget the friendship thing. She wanted him as a man, and she'd gone for what she wanted. Following a game of paintball, she'd shot Logan up close, then dared him to chase her. And chase her he had. A chase that had ended up quite satisfactorily for both parties. Orgasms all around.

The twigs still itched though. She wiggled again.

"Keep doin' that and we won't get back to the mansion 'til after dawn," came a deep growl from directly over her head.

"Is that a threat? Ooh, I'm so scared." She rested in Wolverine's arms as he carried her through the woods. Her night vision sucked, and she had leapt at the chance to avoid gaining any more battle scars. Not that having him carry her was in any way unpleasant. Uh-uh. "Next time we do this outside, you get to be on the bottom."

"Whatever you say, darlin'."

She cuddled against his warm strength, feeling his skin under her cheek and burrowing into it. She didn't have his senses, but his smell and feel comforted her.

"This could get interestin'," he said.

"What?" Jubilee struggled to look up, but being curled against someone's chest was not the best reconnaissance outpost. In any case, the only thing she saw was darkness.

"The party's not over. Noise comin' from the outside of the house. Think we're missin' the dancin'."

"No great loss," she said, then suddenly pictured him holding her, swaying to music - or better yet, gyrating to some flash metal. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"Just one little problem, darlin'."

"What is it?"

He looked at her, eyes grave, but his face still set in relaxed lines. "How do we get into the mansion without incitin' a riot?"

She stared at him and started to giggle helplessly, remembering their nudity. "Oh, no. No."

Nothing had been left of their clothing after they'd made love. Logan had taken them back to try to salvage something, but her earlier costume lay in shreds. She had the boots and the mask, and that was about it. Not that Wolverine's clothing was in much better shape. He'd lost his shirt to the paintball game earlier in the day, and his trousers were much the worse for wear, ripped in several places, with barely enough fabric remaining to maintain decency. "So what you're saying is that we've either got to break into the mansion without anyone seeing us - fat chance with so many people up and roaming around - or we walk up just the way we are and brazen it out."

He flexed his wrist experimentally, as though about to unsheathe his claws. "They better keep their mouths shut."

"Or what?" she asked, still laughing. "Or you'll slash their clothes off too?"

He growled at her.

"What? It might start a fad," she said. "We could all go skinny dipping in the pool!"

He growled again, then bent his head, roughly brushing her lips apart with his own. Jubilee forgot her laughter and twined her arms around his neck, hands at the back of his head, pulling him closer to her.

"Or we could just stay here."

She pulled back a little, just enough to keep her rampaging senses from making the decision for her. "Nope. I want a shower and food. And a bed."

He nuzzled her ear. "You sure?"

She took a deep breath. *Exactly how badly _do_ I want that shower? And how much paint _do_ I have on me? And do I really care if I get any sleep tonight?* "I'm sure."

The simplest plan, Jubilee argued, was to appear in Wolverine's room instantaneously, thus avoiding the otherwise inevitable prospect of exposing themselves to someone who might think their situation was funny, or worse, a topic for serious discussion. She couldn't bear the thought of enduring the round of teasing that would occur, especially if most of the people still up had gotten drunk. Now, if they'd think that she and Wolverine streaking naked across the lawn were just a hallucination, that'd be fine.

But Wolvie wouldn't go for either plan. Reluctantly, she admitted to herself that it was a little late for either of them to try developing a teleporting ability. And what he'd said on the subject of their streaking made her grin furiously.

"You're mine, darlin', and I ain't lettin' no one get a look at you like this."

The possessiveness thrilled her, as well as the dark promise in his voice and manner that more passion still lurked inside him. She didn't know whether she needed to dance 'til she dropped or soak in a hot tub until all her muscles went limp, but she was hyper-alert, not close to ready to let the day end yet. Even if the sun *were* technically down.

Instead of taking up any of her ideas on how to get back into the mansion, he left her in the protection of a tree just outside of the circle of light that surrounded the house, and slipped noiselessly into the night.

Jubilee shivered. Late spring, the night still contained enough chill to make her shiver without Wolverine's body to warm her. *It'll only be a few minutes,* she told herself. *He just needs to slip inside for some clothing and then he'll be right back.*

Voices wafted to her from the partygoers. Well out of their line of sight, and cold enough to want anything that could distract her from her predicament, she listened to the conversation that was almost inaudible over the distance.

Or would've been inaudible if the participants weren't talking in an overly loud drunk-speak.

"How long have they been gone?"

"Seven and a half hours."

"I put my money on two hours."

"Sucker."

"What's the highest bet for?"

"Not returning."

She heard the first person laugh. "Might be safer to sneak out of the country at that. I think that they're going to get an *un*-welcome party when they return."

The other person snorted. "Why? You could see this coming for years."

A hand on her shoulder alerted her to Wolverine's return, and Jubilee left off listening to the conversation in favor of burrowing into his arms. She noticed that he'd dressed as well, the cotton shirt soft under her face. He rubbed her soothingly. When her shivering subsided to a bearable level, she started putting on the clothes he'd acquired for her.

*Her* clothes, she noticed. So he'd gotten into the room she shared with three of the other female members of Generation X and managed to find her something to wear and get back out again without anyone noticing? As impressive as always. Assuming that anyone in this whole place was actually sleeping yet.

"Thanks," she said, feeling better. "Now what? We just walk in and pretend that nothing happened?"

"That's the idea."

"But someone'll say something," she protested, the conversation she'd overheard loud in her mind.

"They won't say a word," he promised, looking deadly.

His hand on her shoulder, they walked up to the mansion, and inside. As promised, no one said anything to them, although heads turned and people started whispering as soon as they passed by.

"Geez," Jubilee complained as they got to the door to his room. "I feel like I'm on exhibit."

Wolverine's body became taut, and his expression looked hard as he sensed something that no one else would have noticed. "Get used to it," he said, swinging the door open to reveal Scott and Jean waiting for them.

"Please tell me you haven't been waiting here this whole time," Jubilee said, trying to make light of the situation. If she thought it'd do any good, she'd throw a temper tantrum at finding them there. She had better things to be doing right now, darn it. Like trying out the bed. Beds. What a novelty.

Jean smiled apologetically. "Scott asked me to keep track of you. When I felt your mental presences returning here, we came to meet you."

"It's best that we keep this private," Scott affirmed.

Logan said nothing, letting the shadows fall over his face. Jubilee felt his body tensing, preparing for whatever might come.

"We know that you're grown up now, dear," Jean said, addressing Jubilee, "but we're concerned. It's isn't really any of our business-"

"Damn straight," Wolverine muttered.

"But-" she said, continuing, "we wanted to talk to the two of you nevertheless. Because we *are* concerned. You're a friend of ours, Logan, and a member of the family."

Jubilee crossed her arms. "And me?"

Jean smiled down at her. "You'll always be important to us, too, Jubilee. We want you to be happy."

*I was pretty happy up 'til about five minutes ago,* Jubilee thought.

"We're aware that you've started a relationship," Jean began. "First of all, I wanted to ask you - did you think of birth control?"

Jubilee knew Wolvie hadn't. She'd caught him by surprise, and, well, under the circumstances he had some excuse for not thinking. She'd wanted him to feel rather than to think.

Cyclops interpreted the lack of response as a 'no', and started to swear softly. "Don't you know any better?"

"It *is* an important concern," Jean interrupted tactfully. "You could have children, and that's a large responsibility even discounting the dangers we risk constantly in our lives-"

*I can't believe she's trying to tell us about the birds and the bees,* Jubilee thought. "Look, I'm on birth control pills, all right? No danger here, people. Everything's fine, no need to worry."

"Well, that's one good thing," Jean said. "Now about your relationship with Wolverine-"

Scott took over from her. "If I could have seen this coming, I would have said this before. Logan, I - we are concerned that your actions are going to hurt Jubilee."

"Umm - excuse me?" Jubilee said. "I'm standing right here. You could maybe ask if I feel hurt?"

Jean gave her a smile that felt condescending to Jubilee.

"It- it's important not to abuse your role of mentor in this fashion," Scott went on, ignoring Jubilee. "When a man has a relationship with a young person, that relationship has to be carefully handled when the younger person grows up. When someone looks up to you for guidance, it is important to be careful not to use that idolatry for personal pleasure..."

Jubilee bristled. "Aren't you going to yell at *me*? I'm the one who practically begged him to chase me out into the woods!"

Scott found himself at a loss for words. He sputtered. "If you came on to- *approached* him, he should still have known better than to react to a juvenile. We can't tolerate Logan's predilections for picking up young girls if he actually starts trying to sleep with them!"

SNIKT! The sound of claws unsheathing rang loudly even in the middle of an argument. In one fluid movement, Wolverine pinned Cyclops against the wall, the points of his claws at the other man's throat. "You got somethin' you want to say to me, bub?"

::Very smooth, dear,:: Jean said into Scott's mind, her mental tone amused. ::I could have told you that Logan has never taken advantage of any of his relationships with young girls.::

Jubilee laid her hand over Wolverine's wrist, rolling her eyes at Cyclops who, to his credit, seemed somewhat chagrined at what he'd said in the heat of battle. She spoke quietly, "I don't think I have anything else I want to say to him. Talk about having a dirty mind. Let's blow this pizza place."

Grudgingly, Logan relaxed under her hand, pulling back from Cyclops enough so that the three points of metal rested against the other man's throat instead of pushing into the vulnerable flesh. Then he let Scott down.

"I'm sorry I said what I did," Scott said, straightening the collar of his shirt. "That was more than I meant to say."

Wolverine sheathed his claws. His expression did not relax, but he nodded to the other man. "Let me tell you something, Summers," he said in the tone of a man dislodging a secret he would have rather have kept buried. "I have a screwy memory, so I don't know how old I am. But I know I ain't aging 'cept on the inside. An' I don't think any of you are my age. All of you are young t'me. An' long as I live, everyone will be younger. An' they'll all keep growin' older while I don't. Jubes has grown up. If you can't see it, that's your problem. If I can't see it, I'm going to be alone for good."

Silence fell. Jubilee wished the other two were gone. She wanted to throw her arms around Wolvie right now and hug him very tightly. Everyone died on him. That was what he was saying - she'd been there when Mariko died, and even if she herself avoided all danger (not likely!), she'd still grow old on Wolverine anyway.

"I'm sorry," Jean said. "I don't - we never thought of it that way." She pulled on her husband's arm, guiding him to the door. "We didn't mean to intrude-" Jean began apologetically.

"You had our best interests at heart," Jubilee forced herself to say, just to get them out of the room. She didn't mean it, but hearing that seemed to satisfy them and they left.

*Then* she flung herself at Logan, wrapping her arms as far as they would go around him, holding onto him as though he might be teleported away at any moment.

He exhaled as she hit him. "Hey! What's this for?"

"For being you."

"An easy lady to impress."

She grinned at him. "Now let's try out the bed."

"Ooh, kinky. I like it."

* * *

Part Two

There were advantages, Jubilee decided, to being in a relationship with a man with facial hair. Like how easy it was to grab onto Wolvie and hold him close.

Not that he seemed to mind.

He'd snared her after she'd come out of the bathroom, as if even that brief separation from her were too much for him. She sympathized. After getting rid of Scott and Jean, what she wanted most was Logan. But the call of nature didn't take messages. He'd waited with gratifying impatience, then captured her, forcing one of his legs between hers. She'd retaliated by clutching the tangle of hair that ran down the sides of his face. One of his arms held her firmly while sharp teeth left trailing bites down the line of her chin.

No, he didn't mind.

"Where were we?" Jubilee asked in between bites. "Oh, yeah. We were talking about beds." They'd actually being talking about sex, but beds had a tangential relationship to that discussion.

"No, darlin', I got a better idea. We'll jump in the shower," Logan said, pulling his head back enough to look at her. His features were distorted, made even rougher than usual by need. Jubilee loved that. She kissed him, and again they lost the thread of conversation, her hands pulling his mouth closer, and his ensuring that her body came equally as close.

"A shower?" she asked, when she could think again.

"Got somethin' against takin' a shower?" he growled.

"Well," she said, pretending to pout. "I *was* looking forward to having you at my mercy again. And now you're going to make me wait just so we can get cleaned off."

"I didn't say that." Wolverine grinned wickedly at her, and she flushed under the impact of that look, as his intent became clear to her. No, she wasn't going to have wait at all. "I'll even let you have the soap."

"What were you saying about kinky?" she gasped, biting her lip. Her? Him? Naked in a small space with hot water falling down on them? Lord, where did she sign up?

His growl got even deeper, if that were possible. "Darlin', you ain't seen nothin' yet."

Without warning, he bent and picked up her off of her feet, slinging her neatly across his shoulder. Her head hung down over his back - nice view there - and her feet hung helplessly in mid-air.

Jubilee inhaled sharply, then assaulted his back with her fists. "Hey, you lummox. Lemme down! I can walk!"

He ignored her kicking and pounding. The kicking and pounding was for effect, anyway. She knew it was working, because he was chuckling.

And then they were in the bathroom, and he slid her off his shoulder, letting her descend slowly down the front of his body. She felt him against her, hard and ready. Suddenly this wasn't funny anymore, but dead serious. In a good kind of way.

His right hand came up and paused at the throat of her jumpsuit. Jubilee breathlessly waited for him to undo the fastening at the collar.

But it seemed that Wolvie had other ideas. SNIKT!

"Oh, no, you don't," she said, holding up her hands and backing away from him. "I *like* this outfit. No more slicing things off of me. I want to keep my clothes just the way they are, thank you very much."

"Then you better have them off quick," he said, grudgingly sheathing his claws. His eyes measured the distance between them and Jubilee suddenly remembered why it wasn't a good idea to retreat from a predator. "'Cause I ain't in a mood to be patient."

"Shoulda said *that* to Cyke," she said, almost nervous.

"I don't wanna shower with *Cyke*." His exasperated tone defused the sudden tension between them, and she laughed. He didn't. Apparently he didn't think it was funny.

But then again, maybe it wasn't. Her breath shortened, and she stripped her clothing off rapidly, bending to remove her boots. She found as her head came back up, that he had already disrobed. Her cheek grazed his penis, and he growled.

"You up to this?"

She knew then that she could back out even now, that he was giving her the option, and felt a sense of desire mixed with love swelling deep within her. Even now, he hesitated, and it was because he was insecure of becoming his beast. It had to be insecurity, because there was no way he could smell fear on her. She wanted him as badly as she hoped he wanted her.

She glanced at the hardness of his lower body. Okay, scratch the 'hoped'.

Jubilee ran her hands down Wolverine's stomach, stroking the hair just above the current center of his universe, then ducked into the shower. "What do you think?" she responded teasingly.

"Yeah." He followed her without a backward look, crowding her in the already small area. Even if the space hadn't been small, she suspected that Logan's presence would have filled it. He was just so overwhelmingly *masculine*.

He turned the water on, and sharp cold droplets began falling on them. It took a moment for the water to reach the right temperature, a moment that Jubilee spent screeching while Wolverine tickled her mercilessly. She didn't mind. She didn't mind anything that had her with him. And then the water was the right temperature and she opened her arms to it, letting it wash away the accumulated sweat and dirt and paint.

A hand began to soap her vigorously.

"Hey! I thought I got to have the soap!" she protested.

"You were too slow. Couldn't wait anymore."

She opened her mouth to argue with him, then decided that she had no arguments to make, as Wolvie was sliding the soap over her breasts in a very satisfactory manner.

He rinsed them as carefully as he'd soaped them, and then pulled her up against him, so that her back rested against the wall. He took one breast into his mouth, suckling on it, and Jubilee wrapped her legs firmly around his waist. Now holding her, Logan accommodated the weight shift easily, without a pause in his attentions.

Playfully, she took the forgotten bar of soap from his hand and began soaping his hair. It was mashed together with paint, and she used the extra time needed to clean it luxuriating in the feel of his head under her hands, and the feel of his mouth on her nipples. Because he alternated. He didn't let either one feel left out.

"Darlin', you gotta stop doing that," Wolverine said.

"Why?" she asked, confused.

He raised his head, looking up at her, and Jubilee started to giggle. Soap suds dripped down across his face, giving him an absurd look. Without thinking about it, she switched the soap to her other hand and began rinsing his face and hair clean with her left.

"Big baby. Don't like soap in your eyes," she kidded him, then bent her head to kiss him. He still held her up, and she marvelled at his strength, even though she'd known he was strong. It felt good to be held, to be part of him in this way.

"Still want to make it in the bed?"

She pretended to be surprised that he was asking. "You mean, you want to do it here?"

He looked disappointed, apparently taking her seriously, but he didn't let go of her.

"Now *that's* kinky," she said, grinning at him.

He growled and tightened his grasp on her. "Stick with me, darlin'. I'll show you kinky."

"I can't wait. Especially if it includes beds."

"Beds. Beds are for-"

At this rate, she'd never find out what beds were for, she guessed as she kissed him again. Her hands pressed the sides of his head, pushing his head into her, teeth grating against lips, primal instincts coming alive.

Jubilee felt the urgency coursing through Wolverine as he shifted her body, allowing her to slip down a bit so that she would fit more easily against him. All she could think about was the pressure of his body and hands and self being so much like the pressure of the water as he inserted himself into her and began claiming her for his own.

It was just as savage and unrestrained as the first time, and her nails bit into Wolverine's back, needing to match the elemental pressure inside her with an equally elemental response to him.

She felt his frenzy, felt the pounding thrusts against her, treasured the look on his face - concentrated, determined. The face of a man in agony, torn between heaven and hell.

And then he came, gasping against her, nearly howling in his release, his thrusts definite and firm. "Oh, Jubilee."

"Oh indeed," she said smugly, clasping him firmly to her, feeling the shudders still going through his body as he continued to thrust even after it was over, riding out the aftershocks of his orgasm.

He released her legs, and Jubilee reluctantly allowed herself to detach from him. Reluctantly enough that she did not let go of him.

He took her head in his hands this time and kissed her just as fiercely as she had him. "I want you. I need you." he said between kisses.

*I love you*, she thought, but didn't say it. It was true, but no need to spook the Wolvster just yet.

"I'm sorry, darlin'," he said, surprising her.

"'Bout what?"

His hand traced down to her neck, then her torso to the curve of her hip, reminding her that there was more yet to come.

Anticipation shuddered through her. "Oh, yeah, that."

"That," he said, amused.

She looked at him and herself. "Umm... not to be practical or anything, but how about we finish the shower first before we run out of hot water?"

"Jubes, you'll always be in hot water."

"I hope so."

He helped her wash her hair and rinse off, then pushed her out of the shower.

"Hey! Whaddaya'd do that for?"

He muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "If you're in here, I'm never gonna be able to get out."

"Sounds good to me," she said cheerily, but grabbed a towel anyway and began drying off. She looked in the mirror. She was glowing. Happily. Beautifully. Because she was loved, and wanted and the man who'd made her feel that way was just a few feet away, and soon she'd have him all over again. *He's _mine_. Finally, at last, _mine_.*

Jubilee collected her clothes, folded them into a semblance of neatness and then laid down on the bed to wait for Logan to finish his shower. She did not pull a blanket over her; there was no need. Her body was heated from the shower, heavily relaxed, and the air slid over her like the softest of blankets, invisible hands soothing her.

She was asleep before the water stopped.

* * *

Part Three

Jubilee wondered sleepily what had happened to the bed as she struggled up to consciousness. Twin beds were always narrow, but she seemed to be sleeping even closer to the wall than usual. Terribly uncomfortable.

Yawning, she began evaluating her surroundings. Hmm... as her right arm stretched, her hand met the wall. Wall, check. She hunched her shoulders, feeling muscles complain, yawned again, then stretched out her left arm. Her fingers met skin, textured skin with muscles outlined strongly under it. Skin, check.

Wait a minute...

Skin? Her hand froze.

"Don't stop now, darlin'", a deep and very familiar voice rumbled.

Her memories came fully awake at the same time she did. Wolverine! She was in his bed! Now there was a cause for celebration at any time. Her hand resumed stroking him, and she curled up against his back. "Or what?" she asked, teasing him.

He flipped over, harsh face relaxed into an uncharacteristically happy expression. "Or-" he said, pretending to snarl, "I'll start."

"Ooh, please not that! Anything but that!" Jubilee giggled.

"Anything?" His hand ran down her body, missing nothing in its quick but thorough caress, then settled itself at the junction of her legs.

"Anything," Jubilee agreed, not caring what she might be agreeing to, sure only that it would be pleasant if it involved Wolverine.

Some time later, they managed to make their way out of the bed (which wasn't nearly as kinky a place to have sex as Jubilee had imagined it to be), and get themselves ready to face other people. And food. Jubilee's stomach reminded her pointedly that one of the things she'd wanted most last night was food, and that she'd skipped it in favor of a shower with Wolverine. Not that there had been anything wrong with the shower - Jubilee had greatly enjoyed the experience - but it wasn't quite the same as a square meal. Or whatever trapezoid she might find in the kitchen at this hour. Which reminded her...

"What time is it?" she asked Logan.

"'Bout ten-thirty."

"Eep. I'm in trouble."

He bristled, instantly protective. "What?"

"We're supposed to be leaving at eleven. Nice overnighter and all, but Frosty wants us back at the books as soon as possible."

Wolverine stiffened. "That so?"

Jubilee continued, oblivious. "Yeah. Can't allow us to have too much fun - we might start to behave like grown-ups or something. Problem is - how do I track her down and explain in twenty words or less what's going on, and why I'm not coming back with the rest of GenX. 'Cause I don't think she's gonna like this at all."

Wolverine began to breathe again. "You're stayin'?"

She looked up at him, dumbfounded. "Duh."

Strong arms crushed her to him, and she felt a glow of satisfaction. *Wow. He really wants me.*

"So," she began, looking up at him. "How's about a snack?"

The trouble was making it down to the kitchen without incident. Not that Jubilee was as embarrassed this morning as she had been the night before. After all, she was clothed now. That made a big difference. On the other hand, there still remained the niggling issue that she and Wolverine were now a couple. Not that she wanted to hide that - on the contrary, climbing to the top point of the mansion's roof and shouting it out didn't seem like a bad idea. For later. After lunch. But the knowing looks were getting irritating.

"Ah, chere," Gambit said, as they passed him in the hallway. "We meet at last." He reached for her hand, then bent to kiss it. "You are even more lovely than Gambit remember."

Jubilee giggled, beginning to feel uncomfortable. He was acting like she were some supermodel. Or Rogue, or somebody. "Remy, please-"

"Beat it, bub."

Gambit stiffened at Wolverine's challenge. "Gambit not hurt de chere-"

Wolverine didn't bother repeating himself, but instead simply glared up at the taller man.

The Cajun grinned in response, winked at Jubilee, and left.

"One down," Wolverine muttered.

"And all the rest to go," Jubilee said. She wondered exactly how many people had chosen to spend the night at the mansion. If this scene were repeated with each one, it might be hours before she got anything to eat. And that would be a disaster. Heads would roll.

As she thought that, Angelo and Everett came careening around the corner. They skidded to a stop in front of Jubilee. "Jubes!"

"Yeah, that's me."

Angelo rolled his eyes, while Everett simply looked at Wolverine. "We've been looking for you. We're leaving at eleven. Ms. Frost is angry."

*I'll bet,* Jubilee thought. *And this isn't going to make her feel any better.* "I'm going to get something to eat. I'll talk to Frosty before eleven, I promise."

"So you aren't coming back?" Everett said in the restrained voice of someone who fears they may strangle on their words.

Jubilee couldn't help tossing a smile in Wolvie's direction. "Yeah, that's the rumor."

"Oh."

Angelo hastily pulled on Everett's arm, dragging him away from Jubilee. "I'll let her know."

"Wait 'til-" Jubilee began. They were out of sight. "...I've had something to eat," she finished uselessly.

"Better get a move on," Wolverine suggested, mouth twitching suspiciously.

"Why?" Jubilee grumbled. "At this rate, there's going to be some sort of ambush set up in the kitchen. It's all a plot, I swear."

More glances were thrown at them as they made their way downstairs. Cable looked openly disapproving, Betsy gave them a thumbs up, and Bishop simply nodded and went on with what he was doing. "Y'know," Jubilee said. "This is the first time I've really appreciated Bishop. Gotta like a guy who minds his own beeswax."

The kitchen was unexpectedly empty when they finally made it through the gauntlet of the mansion's corridors. "I don't like this. I just know that something's going to go wrong."

Wolverine already had the refrigerator door open and was hauling out leftovers from the previous day's picnic. "Like what?"

She laid two plates down on the table and grabbed silverware for the both of them. "I don't know. Mutant potato salad. Exploding chicken wings. You tell me."

"Don't worry about that, darlin'. I'll take care of the chicken." A chicken leg hung in his mouth, and as she watched in startled amusement, he devoured it, skin, meat and all, and tossed the bone aside for later disposal.

*Guess he's even hungrier than I am.*

That in mind, she made room on the table for all of the food Wolverine was unearthing. Cold cuts, cheese, the aforementioned mutant potato salad, corn, mashed potatoes, pie, still more chicken... Her stomach growled loudly, and she started filling her plate.

Wolverine joined her, starting in on the chicken with a vengeance. Mindful of how fast said chicken might disappear, Jubilee snagged two pieces for herself. Not that there wasn't a lot of chicken left over - more than enough for two people, even if one of them were Beast, which neither of them were, but then again, this was Wolvie. She didn't really want to be in the position of reaching for a piece of chicken at the same time he was.

She picked up her spoon, dug it into the portion of potato salad on her plate, and -

"Just *what* do you think you're doing?" asked a cold, collected, and very angry voice.

"Hi, Frosty," Jubilee said brightly. "Eating. Or trying to. I think the potato salad must not want to be eaten. Part of its mutant powers and all."

Emma Frost, headmistress of the Xavier School for Juvenile Delinquents with Mutant Powers, stood in the doorway, her hands on her hips. She looked royally pissed.

"That is not what I mean."

Jubilee continued to smile. This was a big triumphant moment here. Joy caroled through her, as she faced the moment when she finally got to tell Emma Frost off for good. "Why, I'm sleeping with Wolvie, of course. Although right now we're eating. Want to join us?"

"No, I do not," the White Queen said, biting off each word with precise diction. "What I want is an explanation. A rational, *adult* explanation. You are fully aware that we intend to return to the Academy *today*, in approximately twenty minutes. And yet, I find you here-"

Jubilee interrupted. "Technically, I still have time to make it."

"-and apparently intending to *stay* here without having gone through the courtesy of notifying either Sean or myself. What do you have to say for yourself, Jubilation?"

She really hated being called by her first name. At least by Frosty. It had the effect of easy listening music being played at low volume. Definitely unsoothing. "That pretty much wraps it up. It's been time for me to go for a while, an' this is the opportunity I've been waiting for."

"Do you mean you *planned* this?"

"Well, yeah, more or less."

Wolverine, who had been content to eat and spectate quietly, looked up sharply at that. "Planned?"

Jubilee found herself caught between the two of them. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable although she didn't know why, she said, "I knew that this picnic was coming up and that we'd all be here. And I've been wanting to leave Generation X since I turned eighteen. But I knew I had to wait if I wanted to be with Wolvie, so I stuck around a little longer."

"Glad to be of assistance in filling your time until then," Emma said in a dangerously calm voice. "Is there anything you didn't plan for? Or will we have to send your things here?"

Wolvie was listening *way* too sharply for Jubilee's taste. "Yeah - sorta. I didn't bring anything with me but the usual, 'cause all I brought was the one bag. But I packed everything before I left - it's in boxes under my bed."

"A fait accompli. Congratulations, Jubilation," her former teacher said in a voice that indicated exactly the opposite. "If you haven't already left detailed goodbye letters to all of your friends, please be sure to take care of that. They deserve better than to be abandoned so abruptly."

"Yeah - okay," Jubilee said uncertainly, watching her turn and leave the kitchen. The door shut firmly behind her, as though the headmistress had wanted to slam it but had been too enraged to dare do so for fear that the door would simply splinter off of its hinges. Jubilee felt bad and strangely guilty, as though she'd done something wrong, although she didn't know what it was she was supposed to be feeling guilty for. Yes, she'd wanted Wolverine for a long while, and yes, she'd acted on that impulse, and look, here she was. She was bound to have thought about it and planned for this day, even if she hadn't been certain that it would ever come. Monet leafed through 'Bride's Magazine' and looked at pictures of wedding gowns, Jubilee thought about Wolvie. What was the big deal?

Jubilee turned to Wolverine, looking for some sort of answer.

His face was set in grim lines, and he growled at her. "You mind tellin' *me* what's goin' on?"

"What?" she asked, shocked at his sudden betrayal. Why was he so angry with her?

"I don't like bein' backed into a corner. An' I don't like it when people try t'make me do what they want. But ya did that anyway it seems. Planned all of this."

"I-" she fought for words. "I wanted it to happen-"

"Shoulda listened last night when ya told Jean you were on the Pill."

"It made sense-"

"Whole lotta things make sense t'me now." His eyes were very narrow. "The paintball game. Where did the equipment come from? Cyke hadn't planned it. Nobody said anything about it - but all the gear was there. Did ya have somethin' to do with that?"

She nodded unhappily, even though she didn't know why yet she was supposed to be unhappy. "It wasn't what you think-" since she had no idea what he was thinking, that was a safe bet, "it wasn't set up - I didn't know if I could get you to agree to play, so I had the phone numbers to call to get the supplies that day if it turned out that you *would* play."

His eyes were burning now. "Anythin' else? Arrange the weather with 'Roro maybe?"

"No, you don't understand-" Everything was slipping helplessly away from her. It had all been so simple. She wanted Wolverine, and she'd done her best to get everything to work together so that he could see that he wanted her too. She hadn't been trying to *manipulate* him exactly. Well, not any more than he was willing to be manipulated. She *had* set things up for the paintball game so that she could shoot him and get him to chase her down, but he'd seemed quite willing to chase her. It all made sense when you looked at it that way, but the atmosphere in the room only got tenser and tenser, and Jubilee felt that she was on a long slippery slide unable to catch her footing as the ground fell away beneath her. Tears came to her eyes. "It wasn't like that, I swear."

Body rigid, he stood up, cleaned off his plate and dumped it into the dishwasher along with his silverware. "Ya did a good job, kid. Almost got me."

He stumped out of the kitchen. Jubilee followed him as he walked to the front door of the mansion. "Where are you going?"

"Away. From you." He looked at her, staring in her eyes as if searching for a person he thought he'd seen there, then shook his head and looked away. "Bye, kid."

And then he left. After a few minutes, she heard the sound of his motorcycle starting up. She listened to the noise fade as he rode away.

Hands tucked around her waist, Jubilee stood on the porch, unable to find a reaction. She didn't cry. This cut too deep for tears and, in any case, tears would not accomplish anything. He was gone. He'd left her deliberately, and apparently the fault was hers. She never had gotten anything to eat either. The hollow feeling in her stomach matched the hollow feeling in her chest.

A figure separated itself from the shadows and came to join her. She identified it as Gambit. "P'tite-"

She ignored him. There was nothing to say. But when he extended his arm, she stepped within its curve, resting her cheek against his chest. The solidity of him comforted her, even though his solidity was an illusion of its own - Remy wasn't hers, and so this comfort would soon vanish, just as the only comfort she wanted and had a claim to had renounced her and ridden away.

Remy honored her silence, watching quietly as a van and a limousine pulled up in front of the steps.

A flurry of footsteps behind them announced the arrival of more spectators.

"Jubilee!" Paige said. "Did you come to see us off? Is it true that you're going to stay here?"

Only Gambit heard Jubilee gulping back tears, as she found she could cry after all. Trying to answer Paige's question set racking self-pity through her, and she bit the inside of her lip, forcing herself to retain control. She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't.

Slowly, she turned in the circle of Gambit's arm to face Paige. The other members of GenX stood behind her, with Emma Frost and Sean Cassidy there as well. They carried their bags, although Paige had set hers down at the sight of Jubilee's face.

"What's wrong?" Angelo asked.

"I..." Jubilee started to answer and choked. The tears she'd been holding back began to fall, and she cried in huge, ugly sobs. Turning further into Remy's shoulder, she hid her face from the group. She couldn't face them now, didn't want to have to face anyone.

Gambit answered for her. "Wolverine left da p'tite."

A wave of sympathetic murmurs came, followed by the people murmuring them. Hands touched Jubilee gently, patting her as their owners mouthed soothing words.

"It'll be all right, Jubes," Everett said awkwardly. "I- I'm sure it will."

"That's right," Angelo chimed in.

Jubilee's unhappiness flashed into anger, and she faced them, eyes and face red. "How do you know? Maybe it shouldn't be all right. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I shouldn't have come here. Maybe he should have left me."

Gambit tightened his grip on her protectively, as the students of Generation X backed away. Her friends didn't seem to know what to make of her grief.

Emma did. Of all of them, she alone stepped forward. Holding her hand out to Jubilee, she said, "Come along. You won't want to stay here now. The last thing you need is to wait and fret. If he comes back, he knows where to find you. If he doesn't... well, then... perhaps you would like to ride alone with me on the way back to school?"

She phrased her sentences in her characteristically cold manner, but her tone was kind despite their earlier confrontation in the kitchen. She cared; Jubilee knew that. It was one reason Jubilee had always reacted so strongly to Emma. The White Queen could be as protective and smothering as ten thousand mothers, and Jubilee had already one. She didn't need another. Except maybe now...

"Yes," Jubilee said slowly, uncurling herself from Gambit and taking Emma's hand. "I... I think I'd like that very much."

"Good. It's all settled then." Emma turned to address the others. "Paige, you are responsible for ensuring that Jubilee's belongings return in proper order. Sean, I trust that you will be able to cope with the trip back by yourself."

Sean nodded slowly. "In this case, yes. Definitely."

"Au revoir, p'tite." Gambit bowed over Jubilee's hand. "Gambit t'ink dat the only mistake made here made by Wolverine."

"Thanks," she said. "You... you're wrong... but thanks."

He watched Emma lead her to the limousine, and shook his head. "Gambit not wrong. Not 'bout dis."

-the end-


	3. The Dragon and St. Gambit

SUMMARY: Strong language. After consummating his relationship with Jubilee, Wolverine discovers that Jubilee planned the whole thing and leaves her. When Gambit decides to step in, will he make matters worse?

ARCHIVE: Please. As often as possible and wherever you like.

NOTE: I made up Kiwi, Punkin and Astalon for the heck of it. No similarity between those characters and anybody with the same names is intended.

The Dragon and St. Gambit, by Mercutio

Part One

"I'll hunt him down and then I'll kill him."

The reaction to this statement from the assembled members of Generation X was mixed at best. "How are you going to kill someone with a healing factor?" Paige asked scornfully. "Huh? You gotta find some way to get around that first."

"Much as it pains me to say this, she's right," Angelo replied, shaking his head. "And that's if he doesn't kill you first."

"I don't care," replied the quiet but determined voice.

Monet sat, perfectly composed, in one of the chairs in the library. "I fail to understand the necessity for violence. Some difficulty in love affairs is only to be expected."

They all rolled their eyes. "Like you'd know," Paige muttered.

"Exactly," Astalon replied. One of the younger members of Generation X, she was still deemed old enough to attend the impromptu meeting of the Save Jubilee society, unlike Kiwi and Punkin, who had been left out of this. No one really wanted to explain the facts of life to them. "M, you've sailed through every romance you've had. You're even engaged to a Harvard law graduate. *And* he's a real-life prince. C'mon, what do you know about romance?"

Monet turned away, and only a telepathic observer would have noticed any sign of pain. "I believe that my advice will be useful. If we form a plan, I am certain that I will be able to contribute meaningfully to it."

"What plan?" Angelo asked.

"To kill Wolverine," came the reply from the dark shape huddled into the ledge of one of the windows. The others had formed a loose semicircle around the window, showing their support without crowding the young man who was so in need of it at the moment. Everett raised his head from his arms, dark circles apparent under his eyes. Jubilee was not in the room. She existed in a sphere of silence that no one except Emma and Sean had succeeded in penetrating. Not talking except when necessary, she was still the focus of every conversation. And Everett was her chief mourner.

"Man, you gotta let her go," Angelo said softly. "She's not yours anymore."

"I still love her," Everett said defiantly. "And you care about her too, or you wouldn't be here trying to find something to do to that... that *bastard*."

Angelo shrugged. "Well, yeah, but at least I'm not talkin'about going on some suicide mission or something. We all agree we gotta do *something*, but I thought we were supposed to be the good guys, y'know? And you don't kill somebody for dumping a friend of yours."

"So what do you do?" Astalon asked. "'Cause I want to do something. And it better be good."

::Is there a need to do anything?:: Jono asked telepathically.

"Well, duh," Angelo said. "Of course there is."

::I'm not so sure of that.::

"Bubba shot the jukebox last night,because it played a sad song and made him to his truck and got his . shot the jukebox last night."

Wolverine looked up from the jukebox of the country-western bar. He wasn't crying. It'd take more than having sex with a woman to make him cry. And that was all it had been. He'd slept with Jubilee. Big deal. He'd slept with lots of women. He'd never had problems the morning after - if one of them had betrayed him as Jubilee had (and a good number had), he did what had to be done. Left them, scared the hell out of them, killed them if they tried to kill him. Whatever. He liked women, but sex wasn't the same as love, and he knew it. Knew it real well. After the sex was over, so were the women, and that was it. Love was somethin'else, an' this wasn't love.

It couldn't be. He'd slept with her. It was sex, and that was it.

Yeah, right.

And he was a washed up drifter with nothing to show for his life but a handful of 'friends' who he might have to fight someday dependin' on exactly what the situation was.

No, he felt something for Jubilee, and that was what made this so hard.

She'd used him. Manipulated him. Betrayed him. What had she been playing at? Working her way through the X-Men in reverse alphabetical order? Giving the old man a thrill? Using him to show the X-Men that she really was an adult now? That seemed most likely. He'd certainly seen the scheming little wench as an adult after she'd gotten him to chase her down in the woods. A very attractive woman to take to bed and make his own. Except that every step of that decision had been made by Jubilee. Every move carefully planned out. He'd been maneuvered into wanting her, and so he couldn't trust his own feelings on the subject.

It was important to Logan that he be in control. His life,his choices. This issue had come up before, in the case of Alpha Flight. They hadn't understood that he made his own decisions. Despite their close friendship, Hudson had repeatedly attempted to pressure him into joining the Canadian team. And Logan had refused every time. With force when necessary. Logan wouldn't allow himself to be in a situation not of his own choosing. He'd had enough of that as Weapon X. More than enough. He was his own man, and if anyone didn't like it, they could fuck themselves.

Including the X-Men. Including Jubilee.

He wanted her. He hated her. He loved her. He didn't know which was true, and which was a lie. His independent nature pulled him one way, and his instincts the other.

And in the background, the music kept playing, droning its message repetitively into his enhanced senses. He could take it no longer. His fist slammed through the case of the jukebox, leaving a nasty mess of shattered glass and blood. But the music finally stopped.

Around him, there was silence.

"Anybody got anythin' they wanna say?" Wolverine asked menacingly, turning to the crowded, smoky room. The cuts on his hand were already healing, and his stance screamed of anger that had lost its leash a good while before.

"Uh, no, sir," said the accountant in the cowboy hat who was standing immediately in front of Wolverine. He held up his hands and backed away. "I'm sure that the jukebox deserved its fate."

The owner of the bar, a large burly man, didn't seem to agree. "Buddy, you're going to pay for that."

A vicious smile grew on Wolverine's face as an outlet for his confused emotions presented itself. "Make me."

In the boathouse of Xavier's mansion, long since converted into living quarters for the Summers, Jean snuggled further into the corner of her husband's shoulder.

::And that's that,:: the telepath concluded, finishing her briefing. ::Emma seems to have been the catalyst for the event,although she doesn't know why Wolverine was upset by the conversation. Jubilee...:: A mental image of the young woman came through, a dark-haired figure staring blindly out a window. ::Jubilee hasn't yet recovered enough to talk coherently, but Emma told me what little she was able to get out of her. The best we can guess is that he bolted when he discovered that Jubilee had decided in advance that she wanted a relationship with him.::

Scott frowned. "That's ridiculous."

::I agree. There has to be something more to this that we aren't seeing. I wish Logan were here so that we could talk to him. If I could find out what went wrong, then we'd have some chance of helping him find a solution to whatever the problem is. And I don't think what you're thinking would be very productive.::

As Scott had been considering precisely how hard to pound Wolverine into the ground, he had little to say to defend himself. So he thought instead. ::Yeah, but it sure would make me feel better. When I get my hands on him... This is exactly what I was afraid would happen when I found out that he and Jubilee were involved.:: A string of images followed, Wolverine with two older,taller women hanging from his arms, a much younger Jubilee with her hair in bows, a fuzzy thought of Jubilee in a wedding gown, and Wolverine with blood liberally splattered on his body.

::It's their choice, dear,:: Jean reminded him.

::Not if Wolverine's hurting her. He never should have gotten involved with Jubilee.::

::Too late now. All we can do is deal with the aftermath. When Logan comes back, I intend to discuss this with him.::Hesitancy entered her mental voice. ::I know we don't discuss it,but I have Madelyne's memories. I know what it's like to be abandoned by the man I love. And I'm certain that Jubilee loves Logan. She has to be hurting now.::

::And you feel protective of her.::

::Don't we all?::

Scott snorted. He'd already had to scotch two attempts by other members of the X-Men to chase down Wolverine and "reason"with him. He might have approved or even helped if he weren't aware that Wolverine's idea of a good time was beating people up. Hunting the Canadian down would only cause needless property damage and medical expenses - on the behalf of the X-Men, not Wolverine. Such were the difficulties of "teaching a lesson" non-lethally to a man with a healing factor.

Not that the idea didn't appeal to him.

::Scott...:: Jean said warningly inside his head. ::For all we know, Logan is suffering as badly as Jubilee is. Beating him up isn't the appropriate response.::

*Not yet,* Scott added, in what he hoped was a private thought. Unlikely, as closely as they were bonded. Switching the conversation to words, he leered at his red-headed wife and said,"Care to take my mind off of the topic?"

She grinned back. "Don't mind if I do."

Gambit steeled himself against the action he was about to perform, and knocked on the door. It went against all his thiefly instincts to knock, but when you paid a call on a lovesick man with long claws and a vile temper, it was probably best not to sneak into his apartment.

The door opened rudely. "Yeah, whaddaya want?"

The Cajun stepped inside before the door could be closed on him. "To speak with you, mon ami."

Wolverine slouched into the darkened kitchen and took a bottle of beer out of the refrigerator. "If you're here about Jubilee, I don't want to hear it. If I want lectures, I'll go back to the mansion."

"Gambit not here to lecture." He seated himself on the couch,removing his sunglasses and sprawling back comfortably.

"Then what're you doing here?"

"Need to ask you somet'ing." Remy's eyes gleamed.

"Shoot." Logan finished off the beer, and got himself a second one.

"You left de p'tite 'cause of somet'ing you t'ought she did,non? Somet'ing you didn't like an' now you don' know whet'er you wan' to go back?"

Wolverine scowled. "It's none of your business, Gumbo."

Gambit took a deep breath. This was why he had come, the question that had burned so hotly inside him that he had been unable to sleep, unable to eat, unable to do anything but gnaw over the chance he was being given. If it were a chance. If it were his chance. "Ah, but it is. See, what Gambit wan' to ask - if you don' wan' de p'tite, Gambit do - so do you wan' her or not?"

* * *

Part Two

Gambit's question caught Wolverine off-guard. He'd been expecting to hear some bullshit question about how he could just run off like that. Not a bald proposition. Suddenly, Logan wished he'd left town entirely and followed his first impulse to head for Canada and the reassurance of nature, instead of holing up here in his apartment in the city. "What did you say?"

"You heard me." Now it was Gambit's turn to wonder if he'd done the right thing by coming here. His heart was pounding fast,in the excited, anticipatory rhythm he'd often felt as a thief. "Do you wan' de p'tite? If not, Gambit will take her off your hands and you can drink and do what you like; I don' care."

Hackles on Wolverine's neck rose. He growled deep in his throat, a sound that did not reach the audible range. A male was threatening his territory. "What kind of question is that?"

"A good one Gambit t'ink. You leave de lady crying her heart out - it only makes sense to t'ink that mebbe you don' wan' her no more."

Wolverine's eyes narrowed. What was the Cajun playing at? "What about Rogue?"

Remy shrugged eloquently. "Mebbe I give up chasing after t'ings dat aren't meant t'be. She don' wan' me anymore dan you want Jubes. I understan' dat. Dis t'ief not good enough for her. Gambit not a fool - when de lady leave you in de coldes' place on Earth, mebbe jus' mebbe she don' like you no more. T'ings never been de same since dat."

Suspiciously, Wolverine considered Gambit. "I don't believe you."

Gambit smiled, a pained, tired smile that unfortunately Wolverine could relate to all too well. Logan scowled. He didn't want to relate to the Cajun right now. "If somet'ing had happened to Scott, would you have been dere for Jean? Gambit t'ink so. Y'know a good t'ing when you see it. You lost it, but you wanted it anyway, n'est pas? Is it so hard to b'lieve dat Gambit see de same t'ing wit' you and Jubilee? An' wan' it for himself?"

Claws sprouted from Wolverine's hands, and before Gambit could move away, Wolverine had him pinned to the couch. "You touch Jubilee, and I'll kill ya."

"So de man wants de chere after all." Gambit forced himself to smile, despite the sinking disappointment he felt inside. He hadn't known which he wanted to hear more - that Wolverine loved Jubilee and would go back to make her happy, or that Wolverine didn't and perhaps there might be a chance for something... what exactly Gambit wasn't sure of, but something. "Quelle surprise."

Grudgingly, Wolverine recognized that he'd been cornered into an admission of feeling for Jubilee. He'd thought that it couldn't be beaten out of him in his present mood. Now, even though he could skewer the other man with no more than a breath of pressure,Gambit held the upper hand. "Maybe I just think she's too good for a scoundrel like you."

Remy laughed, bitterly, hoarsely. "Gambit don' t'ink so. Gambit's past not dat much worse dan de Wolverine's. Gambit t'ink dat mebbe de chere his only hope of salvation."

"Now I'm gonna kill you, bub."

"No, you won'," Gambit said, studiously casual despite the threat. He still felt the thrill of excitement, not a fear of death, although the extreme earliness of the hour might be contributing to his irrational state of mind. "How you goin''xplain dat to de p'tite? 'Scuse me, I kill Gambit 'cause he love you.' She won' like it. Scott neither."

"I'll come up with something," Wolverine growled. "New York's a big city. Accidents happen."

Gambit drew in his energy, lightly charging the adamantine claws that rested across his chest. They glowed, proof positive that he could use his powers to push Wolverine away. Or explode the claws altogether. Adamantine was strong - but the energy he was charging the metal with was its own innate kinetic energy. It would be interesting to see the results if he did release that energy violently.

"You don't scare me."

"Never t'ought I did. But a man got a right t'defend himself,non?"

"Listen, bub, maybe I can't kill you," Wolverine admitted grudgingly. Not before Gambit actually *did* something to Jubilee anyway. "Maybe I'll just work you over some. 'Less of course,things get out of hand." Wolverine grinned, indicating his approval of that course of action. "But I'm not lettin' you out of here without making sure you know to stay away from Jubilee. I don't want her hurt."

"Too late for dat."

Wolverine bristled at the suggestion that Gambit had done something to Jubilee. This was the excuse he'd been waiting for. "That's it. You're a dead man."

"Non. Gambit didn't do anyt'ing to de p'tite. De chere already been hurt."

"What are you talking about? Did something happen to Jubilee?"

Gambit favored Logan with a long look. "After you leave, she cry, and den go home t'Massachusetts. You hurt de p'tite bad. Never seen Jubilee cry before. Gambit know a little 'bout women. Dat stuff 'bout hell being better dan what happens when you reject a woman? All true. Gambit been dere, done dat, stole de T-shirt. De p'tite going t'rough hell right now, an' she going to do the same t'ing to you when she sees you again."

Wolverine dropped his hands. He shook his head, unable to believe what he'd just heard. "No-"

"Dat's de truth."

"Jubilee left?"

"Oui."

Wolverine collapsed into a chair without any hint of grace. "She can't do that."

"Why not? What did you expect?"

Wolverine shook his head, struggling with feelings of disbelief and betrayal. "She said she'd stay..." Jubilee had promised. He'd counted on that. Even as he'd left, he'd taken reassurance in knowing that she would still be there when he returned, as she'd been there before when he'd left her after Magneto leeched the adamantium from his skeleton. Her being there gave stability to his life. The safety and well-being of his protegees, and Jubilee especially, anchored his soul to the real world when otherwise he would be overwhelmed by the brutality of his existence. No. Jubilee couldn't have left him. She just couldn't.

"Bet anyt'ing dat she said dat before you decided to run away."

"Yeah. So?"

Gambit shook his head. "You don' know much about women, do you?"

Now Wolverine was offended. He knew plenty about women. "And you do?"

"Sure. Gambit know better dan to take a woman's body and not take her heart. If she promised t'stay, de chere be giving you both. Dat means it was more dan jus' one night. Non?" He got no objection from Wolverine. "If you don' wan' her heart, den you shouldn't take de body. Not wit' a woman like dat. Not if you wan' t'keep her."

"And you think you can do better?"

LeBeau shrugged. "Couldn't do worse. So what do you say? Do you still want de p'tite?"

Wolverine glared. Did he want Jubilee? He still hadn't found an answer for the question he'd wrestled with all afternoon, all evening and now into the wee hours of the morning. "I don't know."

"Well, den." Gambit stood. His shadowed face reflected an emotion that could have been regret. "T'ank you for your hospitality."

"Going back to the mansion to report on me?" Wolverine growled bitterly.

"Non. Gambit going to Massachusetts."

And then he left.

Wolverine went into the kitchen and grabbed another beer. Out of habit more than anything else. Right now, he'd've needed something with a much higher alcoholic content to match his mood if he were inclined to try doing so. He growled low in his throat as he thought of Gambit and Jubilee together, instinctively responding to another male coming between him and his mate, then caught himself.

No. He didn't feel jealousy - no, it couldn't be that. There was nothing to be jealous of - he'd broken it off with Jubilee and he didn't want her back. Really. He'd left her the previous afternoon, and he wasn't going to take her back as long she continued to think she could get away with manipulating him. No, he was concerned for a different reason. He tried to make himself believe that, tried to simplify the problem down to one understandable issue. He was concerned because Gambit might hurt Jubilee. Wolverine thought about that for a moment. Was it plausible to believe that Gambit really would hurt Jubilee? The Cajun had courted Rogue in a reasonably gallant manner, and Logan knew damn well that any previous lovers of his that they'd run into were always happy to see the man. Maybe Gambit wouldn't...

Wolverine shook his head violently. No, there were several perfectly good reasons why the Cajun was all wrong for Jubilee. Logical reasons that had nothing to do with Wolverine wanting her for himself. Right. All he had to do was think of them.

He couldn't object to LeBeau on the basis of the younger man's past - as Gambit had pointed out, Logan's was certainly just as bad or worse. And Gambit was one of the X-Men, thus putting him on the side of the angels, inasmuch as there was such a thing -damnit, another point in his favor. Remy had it over him in looks,too. And height. Not that Wolverine had ever experienced a lack of success with the ladies - quite the opposite - but they were talking about Jubilee, and who knew what her tastes were?

'Course, there was Rogue. Maybe Gambit was serious about preferring Jubilee, but Wolverine didn't trust the Cajun not to go running after the Southern belle the moment she crooked her finger at him. As she might very well do if she saw her most faithful beau taken away from her. Bringing Gambit back to her side, and leaving Jubilee behind, hurt.

Wolverine growled again. *There* was a good reason to protect Jubilee against the Cajun. With Rogue around all the time as a member of the X-Men, Gambit would inevitably be drawn back to her. Making Jubilee suffer. And Logan couldn't allow that. He disregarded Remy's argument that he himself had already hurt Jubilee - not important. Not relevant. Wolverine's actions had been in response to Jubilee's unwarranted manipulation of him - at the moment, Logan couldn't think of what exactly the manipulation had consisted of, but he was sure it'd been something important -which meant that he'd been justified. He'd been forced into reacting the way he had. But Gambit would break Jubilee's heart just for the pleasure of it. He'd start what would be a light romance to him, and would be all the world to Jubilee, hurting her all the worse when the inevitable end came.

Wolverine couldn't let that happen.

He upended his bottle, finishing the beer. He had to get to Massachusetts as soon as he could, and keep Jubilee from making a terrible mistake.

End Part Two

Part Three

The afternoon light didn't quite hit the window - the angle was wrong for that. Which was good. If cheery spring brightness had filled the room, Jubilee would have felt compelled to leave. She just wasn't in the mood for cheeriness.

She sighed heavily, watching the clouds through the window,wondering idly if they might form into rainclouds. Just two days ago, she'd just been starting to play paintball and eagerly anticipating the aftermath of the game. Then the possibilities had seemed so open and she'd been full of high spirits. And desperately in love with Wolverine. It was funny how life could change so quickly.

Jubilee sighed again. She knew that the others were worried about her. Even Frosty was worried about her, which said something. The headmistress usually behaved as though she considered herself above her students' problems. At least those problems that didn't involve mortal injury or things blowing up.

*I'll get over Wolvie,* she told herself. *No prob. He's just the most important person in my whole life, but that's a minor issue. A technicality.* Tears slipped from her eyes again, and she scrubbed fiercely at them before mentally changing the subject. She couldn't think about him; it hurt too much yet. *The hard part is going to be getting over myself.* She still found it hard to believe that she'd misread Wolverine so badly. She felt dirty. Wolverine's actions and behavior made her question her own self-worth. She'd felt such a sense of womanly power when she had gotten him to chase her down and make love to her. He had wanted her in a very primal way, and she had caused that to happen. It felt good. But Wolvie thought it was wrong. Her thoughts wandered back into the same familiar groove they'd been in for the past day. *He didn't want to want me. I pushed him. I took what I wanted,and screwed up the best thing I ever had. The only thing it was about was sex, and I screwed up any chance there was for love. I'm a manipulating bitch, and I ruined everything because he didn't want to want me.*

The window that she'd been staring at without really seeing began to open from the outside. Startled, Jubilee raised her hands, ready to paf the intruder. And paf him really hard if it turned out to be Wolverine.

A large figure in a long jacket crouched in her windowsill,not entering the room, giving her time to recognize him. "Gambit?"she asked.

"Oui, chere. May I come in?"

"Sure, sure," she said, off-balance. She stepped back further, giving him room. "What are you doing here? I don't know why you'd want to see me."

He bowed elegantly and presented her with a white rose. His mouth quirked. "You can find no reason at all?"

"Uh-" she accepted the rose, beginning to feel very flustered. He was staring at her intently. "No, not really. I mean, well, there was what happened at the mansion-" Her hand closed tightly over the stem of the rose, and she felt the thorns stab into the palm of her hand, "but I'd rather not think about that."

"Gambit understan'. Don' need to talk about it."

"Good."

"After Gambit ask one question."

Jubilee averted her gaze from him. Questions. The last thing she wanted. Now she wanted to scream at him, paf him, force him away from her. But that wouldn't be right, now would it? Taking out her anger at Wolverine on an innocent bystander? So instead she bottled it up, forcing herself to stand there and listen to whatever Gambit had to say.

Surprising her, he reached for her hand and gently uncurled it from the stem of the flower. Her hand was bleeding, and it hurt,but the pain seemed almost necessary. Remy didn't seem to agree. Setting the rose on the desk, he reached into his pocket and brought out a white square of linen, then blotted the blood away with kind fingers.

Now she really wanted to cry. But she'd have to get rid of him first. "What did you want to ask?" she challenged him in a cold voice.

"Jus' dis -" his expression turned wistful. "If you give up on Logan, is dere a chance dat you might wan' Remy?"

"Uh-" she choked. He seemed to have quite a talent at making her lose her ability to speak. Of course, her brain wasn't operating at anywhere near full capacity at the moment. "I- You-" *You want me?*

"I think I need to sit down."

Gambit courteously supported her as she almost fell into the floor instead of into the chair.

"Well, um... this is so sudden." Too sudden. She couldn't switch over so quickly from Wolverine to anyone. Her emotions didn't have an on-off switch. She was having trouble even comprehending the idea of wanting someone other than him.

"Gambit understan'. Not expecting anyt'ing. But Gambit t'ought dat if mebbe you like him a little, he might help you to recover, p'tite."

To her dismay, she started to cry. There was nothing she wanted to do less than start shedding tears. She wasn't the kind of person who dissolved into tears at tragedy. She should be standing up and fighting for herself. Jeering Wolverine as she hit him with a load of fireworks he wouldn't soon forget. But, no. As soon as someone showed her the least bit of kindness, she cried. Pathetic.

Arms wrapped around her, and Jubilee blinked through her tears to find Gambit kneeling next to her chair, offering her his shoulder to cry on.

"Not again," she blubbered, her sense of humor reasserting itself even as she accepted his offer, letting him pull her close,until she was sitting on the floor and being held by him.

"Dere's not'ing to be ashamed of, chere. You hurt inside and den you cry about it. Not'ing at all wrong about dat."

She laughed shakily. "There is if I say there is." Another wave of sadness drowned her as she remembered again exactly what was wrong with her life. She clung to Gambit as she gulped in great sobs of air, grateful for his strength and warmth, but most of all for his attention. She frowned against his chest, *Now where did that thought come from?*

Dismissing the confusing idea, Jubilee sat back, looking at him. She didn't draw away from him completely; Remy's embrace comforted her, and if anyone had to see her cry, at least he'd seen her do so before and had proven himself to be both soothing and so far willing to allow her her silence. That was something she hadn't got from anyone else - Emma had grilled her on the way back to the Academy, and only years of practice at holding shields against the telepath had saved Jubilee from humiliatingly revealing everything. And while her fellow team members wanted to be supportive, they couldn't stop themselves from laying blame on Wolverine. And, despite everything, Jubilee couldn't stand to hear anyone denigrating Wolvie. Especially not now.

But Gambit simply smiled at her and then used the handkerchief he had produced earlier to gently wipe the tears from her face. "Dat better?"

"A little," she admitted.

"Good."

He finished dabbing at her face, and suddenly Jubilee felt self-conscious. She was sitting on the floor, an irregular position to begin with, tucked between Remy's legs, with his arm slung loosely about her shoulder. And the way he was looking at her... of course, when your eyes are red with black pupils, perhaps they *always* smoulder. But still...

Before she could take action to end the awkward scene, Gambit stood, drawing her to her feet along with him. He let go of her hand as soon as he saw that she was capable of standing without swaying. Winningly, he smiled. "Would you like to go for a walk? Beautiful day outside, and Gambit promise to make you laugh."

Slowly, she smiled tremulously back at him. "That's the best offer I've had all day."

"Den let's go."

Unaware to Jubilee, her fellow team members had kept her closely monitored. Maybe she didn't want them to intrude, so they would respect that wish, considering that there wasn't any way to force themselves on her without probably making her feel even worse, but that didn't mean that they were going to let her do anything stupid either.

Of course, their ideas of 'stupid' had ranged from suicide to stuffing herself with chocolate to tearing apart her room. Not something as wildly unimaginable as leaving the building smiling and arm-in-arm with one of the X-Men.

Artie, her current watchdog, brought the news to the second session of the Save Jubilee committee meeting.

"She's doing what?" Everett exploded.

Artie bobbed his head, and sent another image of the pair walking away together like old friends.

"I can't believe it," Everett muttered grimly. "I'm here,upset over all of this, and she goes out and has fun."

There were more than a few head nods from the rest of the group, who had spent the larger part of the past hour contemplating both what to do for the depressed Jubilee and what to do about the caddish Wolverine.

"Be reasonable," Paige said. "At least the X-Men are coming through for her this time. It's not like they're always this good about being there for Jubilee."

There were murmurs of approval from everywhere but Everett's dark corner. "I don't like what Gambit's doing," he grumbled.

"What do you mean?" Angelo asked. "What's wrong with trying to make her feel better? He's doing better at it than we are. Be happy for her, man."

"Happy?" Everett laughed hoarsely. "I can see what's going on. I can see how Gambit's chasing after her. He's not here to 'comfort' her, not the way you think. I know why he's here. He's here to try to get her in bed with him. Can you imagine that? I mean, what did the X-Men do after she left? Sit around and go,'Hey, someone slept with Jubilee and now she's fair game!'? Huh?"

"That's sick, Ev."

"Well, what do you think it is?"

"I think you're jumping to conclusions 'cause you're jealous,"Paige said.

"I am not jealous."

Even Angelo scoffed this time. "You're so jealous that it's like you got a mini-Penance inside you, and she's cutting her way out through your stomach."

"Just wait. You'll see. He's gonna do exactly what Wolverine did, and Jubilee's going to be miserable."

"If you want her so bad," Astalon said, "why don't you go after her yourself?"

There was a moment of hushed silence following that suggestion. Angelo looked sympathetically at Everett while the others tried to look anywhere but at Everett, whose face had turned white. "Yeah," he said, biting off his words. "Thanks for the advice."

He stalked out of the room, anger apparent in his movements.

"What'd I say?" Astalon asked. No one looked at her.

Jono took pity on her ignorance. ::Ev did date Jubilee for a while. What a mistake that was.:: He sent her a mental picture of a self-confident Jubilee humoring a shy and awkward Everett.

Astalon placed her thoughts in the forefront of her mind where she hoped Jonothan would read them. ::So, like what? Is he too young for her?::

A mental feeling of laughter returned from Chamber. ::No...He's older than she is.::

She snorted, drawing attention to herself before she smoothed out the expression on her face. ::Oh, right. I bet he was all hearts and flowers and acting like it was some prom date.::

::Prom?::

::Never mind. I meant that he was probably all dressed up and making a big deal out of it, trying to impress her.:: Astalon's mouth quirked as she considered the image. ::Playing at being in love, you know?::

::I'll take your word for it.:: Jonothan maintained a dignified silence around his personal life, such as it was. He didn't see what was wrong about hearts and flowers and dressing up, though,and told Astalon so.

::I dunno,:: she responded. ::Maybe there's nothing wrong with it. I just think that maybe she was looking for a relationship.::

That puzzled Jonothan even further, but he did not ask what she meant by the remark. He already had too many confusing concepts for one day, and he was pretty sure that he didn't want to probe deeply enough to find out. Even when you could read their minds, women still didn't make much sense.

"Y'know, you were right. This was a good thing to do,"Jubilee said, looking up at Gambit and smiling a real smile. They had come to a halt under an apple tree near one of the stone walls marking the boundary lines of the Academy's grounds. She had her arm tucked into his elbow, and he had succeeded in making her laugh not once, but several times. "Thank you for coming to see me. I really appreciate it."

"You are very welcome, chere," he said, removing her hand from his arm and bringing it into both of his.

She quirked an eyebrow at his action, but held still. He'd earned that much trust from her over the course of the afternoon.

Slowly, he drew her to him, giving her time to pull away even as he tucked her into the shelter of his body. His eyes met hers,and held her gaze as his head lowered even more slowly to steal a kiss.

Her lips parted, and Jubilee watched him draw closer, eyes wide.

SNIKT!

* * *

Part Four

Wolverine dropped down from the apple tree onto the low stone wall, and from there, onto the ground. "You mind backin' away from her real slow-like, bub?"

Gambit already held a playing card in his free hand, not one to be caught off guard. "Maybe Gambit do mind."

"That's good. I don't need a reason to cut you up, but it'll make things easier to explain."

Jubilee scowled, stepping around Gambit, who had instinctively moved to shield her from the threat. "Wolvie, back off."

"Listen, kid..."

The term 'kid' made her temper flare up. And it felt good to at last be able to turn the anger on the person who had caused it. "Uh-uh. No way. I'm not going to listen. And I am going to have a screaming fit right here if you don't leave Remy alone. He, at least, is being nice to me."

Gambit raised an eyebrow, but kept his gaze focused on Wolverine. "Dat's right, Logan. Gambit would never hurt Jubilee."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Wolverine snarled.

"Why? Why should you have anything to say about it?" Jubilee asked furiously, her pent-up emotions spilling out in a heated rush. "What do you think is going to happen? Maybe I like Remy. Maybe I've been enjoying myself this afternoon. Or is that your problem? Huh? Maybe I don't care about you anymore and I'd rather be with someone who doesn't mind me being the way I am? Did you think of that? It's none of your business anyway. You left me. Get over it."

Sensing trouble, Wolverine said curtly, "After I get rid of Gumbo, we can talk."

"You get rid of Gambit, and I'll never speak to you again." It was the absolute truth at that moment, and Jubilee knew very well that Wolverine could smell the difference between truth and falsehood. Maybe she wanted Gambit, maybe she didn't. Okay, she was lying about that. But she wasn't lying about what she'd do if Wolverine hurt or intimidated Remy. The Cajun had been kind to her, and that was lots more than she could say about Wolvie at the moment.

Grudgingly, he resheathed his claws. "There."

Seethingly angry with him, she raised her hands. "Now get out of here, or I paf you. And I mean *that* too."

"I'm not givin' up that easy, darlin'."

"Giving up *what*?" For a brief moment, she hoped with a wild and painful stab to the heart that he meant it. That he truly wanted her after all. "Do you want me back, is that it?"

Logan didn't say yes or no. "That isn't why I came down here..."

Hope died. "Then you don't have anything to say that would interest me. Okay? Now back off."

He retreated back across the wall, away from the school grounds. Jubilee watched him until she couldn't see him anymore. She didn't trust him not to come back.

Gambit looked at her with some concern, putting his arm around her. "Are you all right, p'tite?"

"Just fine," she said, knowing that she looked and sounded anything but.

"Shall we walk back now?" he asked gently.

Jubilee gazed up at him, studying his long lean face. She'd almost kissed him, but now Wolverine had appeared and confused her emotions all over again. She needed to think. Or destroy something. Either way, having Gambit around would be counterproductive. "I'm sorry, Remy. But- I just want to be alone right now."

"Dat's okay, chere. Gambit see you later, okay?"

She managed a smile for him, just so he wouldn't worry, and because he *had* been so nice to her that afternoon, "Okay."

Gambit did not move from where he stood, instead lighting a cigarette and waiting. A hand grabbed his collar and shook him. As casually as could be managed in such an undignified position,Gambit said, "Bonjour, Logan."

"Shut up. She's not here now, and if you do anything I don't like, I'm going to hurt you bad."

"But not kill me?"

Wolverine growled, face twisted as he let go of the Cajun's jacket. "Probably couldn't get away with that."

"Non."

"But you've got a lot of explainin' to do, bub."

"What did you not understand? Gambit tell you where he was going and why."

"And I'm tellin' you to leave Jubilee alone."

"Why?" Gambit asked in a mild voice. "You do not want de p'tite. Would you prevent her from ever loving again?"

"I'm protectin' her from *you*."

"Moi?" Gambit looked genuinely startled, a tribute to his acting ability. He hadn't been certain when he left Wolverine's apartment whether Logan was still interested in Jubilee. He'd hoped not, but Logan's appearance here - despite what the man had said to Jubilee - said to Gambit that Logan was still very interested. Merde. "How could Gambit hurt de p'tite? Impossible. Or-" he asked, schooling the amused smirk out of his features,"did you think Gambit was a vampire? Gambit only try to kiss de girl."

He found himself looking at sharp claws at close range.

"Don't remind me," Wolverine said.

Still casual, Gambit said, "If you want de p'tite back, dis not the way to go about it."

"I came here to tell you to stay away from her."

"Why? What do you think Remy would do to her?"

"I *know* you're going to break her heart-"

"Non. An'-" Remy's eyes glinted, "her heart already broken. Gambit only mending it."

In a second, his cigarette was diced into tiny pieces which fluttered to the ground. "Shut up. I don't want to hear it."

Remy spread his hands in indication of his compliance, and leaned back against the wall, coincidentally moving himself further away from the sharp edge of Wolverine's anger.

"I'm not gonna tell you again. Stay away from Jubilee."

"Sure."

Wolverine examined him suspiciously. "You'll stay away from Jubilee?"

"Oui. If you promise Gambit one t'ing."

"What's that?"

"Dat you'll go back to de p'tite."

Wolverine growled. "I think you aren't getting the point,Gumbo."

"Non. You don' get de point. De p'tite deserves someone -an' while Gambit wan' her, he also smart enough to know dat she love you more. If you love her, den Gambit step down, but ot'erwise, Gambit figure dat you got not'ing to say 'bout it."

"I got plenty to say about it. That kid looks up to me..."

Gambit laughed, a hoarse, hollow sound. "Jubilee's no child,Logan. You tol' Scott and Jean dat, 'member?" As Wolverine failed to respond, Gambit went on, voice pitched in tones of persuasion. "Dey tell de team 'bout you and Jubilee, an' Jean even approve. Not anymore, Gambit t'ink, but den she does 'cause you tol' dem off 'bout dat. An' Gambit saw de way you look at Jubilee, and de way she look at you - you wan' her, and de p'tite loves you. If you throw dat away, you're a fool."

The former thief pushed away from the wall. "Maybe you're afraid of losing her, so you push her away before she can get hurt. Gambit don' know 'bout dat. Do know, t'ough, dat you always proud of de p'tite for living her life t'the fullest. An' t'Gambit, it seems like you not practicing what you preach, non? You need t'decide what you wan'. An' den maybe Gambit listen. T'ink about dat."

Taking out another cigarette, Gambit lit it, then walked away, leaving Logan alone in the shadow of the apple tree.

* * *

Part Five

Jubilee walked slowly back to the academy, trusting both Gambit and Wolverine to honor her wish to be left alone. And willing to back that wish up with fireworks if it weren't honored. She really needed to think. And right now, neither of them were helping with that process.

What was going on here anyway? After she'd tripped Wolvie and beaten him to the ground, she'd thought maybe she meant something to him. That this time he'd stay. But, no, fat chance on that. And after he'd dumped her, she'd figured that was that. She was used to Wolverine abandoning her - the guy ran off more often than Frosty wore suits that displayed her cleavage. So why the heck was he suddenly back? He said that he didn't want her but that he didn't want Gambit to want her either. Too confusing. Way uncool.

And then there was Gambit. So far all he'd done was talk to her and maybe try to kiss her. Jubilee thought about the Cajun for a moment. Nice eyes. Nice body, if you liked tall, lean men. An attitude she could appreciate, especially when he was directing all that attention at her. And an outrageously adorable accent. *He probably hams it up just 'cause he knows it's adorable.* What did he want from her? A fling? A relationship? To prove that he was better than Wolvie? Jubilee didn't know. She did, however,distrust Gambit's sudden interest in her. He'd never paid attention to her before - why now? And what about Rogue? It wasn't like Rogue and Remy were hot and heavy, but everyone just knew that they were meant for each other.

But if Gambit *did* mean it- Jubilee sighed. It'd been just so romantic when he'd come to her window this afternoon. And she would have kissed him if Wolverine hadn't interrupted. Out of curiosity, of course. Nothing more.

Unless she wanted there to be something more.

Unless Wolvie really did want her back. And unless she was stupid enough to trust him all over again.

She reached the entrance to the building, and opened the door,planning to make her way back to her room where she could continue trying to sort this mess out. As much as it could be sorted out without holding Wolvie down and punching him repeatedly. At least she wasn't depressed anymore. If being seriously confused could be called an improvement over being depressed.

Instead of an empty hall, however, Jubilee came face to face with Everett. "Uh, hi," she said.

The tall youth was virtually vibrating with tension. "Why,Jubilee?"

"Why what, Ev?"

"Why'd you go off with Gambit? Why are you giving them the chance to hurt you like this?"

"Huh? Them?" she asked, wondering if her state of confusion was about to become permanent. Did everyone know that Gambit had shown up? And who was them? As far as she knew, Gambit wasn't twins. "We just like talked, y'know."

"And you couldn't talk with any of us? You couldn't talk with *me*?"

This was starting to make more sense. Not much, but more. "All you guys've been talking about is Wolverine and how sad everything is, and how terrible it is that he left. I'm tired of talking about that."

Everett stepped closer to her. "Jubilee, we could talk about us."

She frowned. "Ev, there is no us. And I definitely don't need the complication right now."

"Is it that I'm not an X-Man? Only one of them would be good enough for you, right? You and your 'when I was with the X-Men'stories..."

"Everett-" a new voice joined the conversation. "I believe you're becoming rude."

Jubilee watched more of Generation X enter the hallway. Monet, who'd spoken, led the pack, followed by Jono and Paige. Jeez. Were people selling tickets to her life, or what? "Look, I don't want to talk about any of this..."

"Is it still too painful?" Paige asked sympathetically.

Oh, great. Again with the sympathy. "Everything's just peachy. Look, I just want to be left alone."

"We will be sure to inform Mr. LeBeau of that," Monet said calmly.

Jubilee's eyes narrowed. M sure had a way of using politeness in a cutting way. "Leave Remy out of this." They were about to jump on her, Jubilee knew it. Better throw them something so that she could escape. "You can tell Wolverine that, though. He's here, too."

"Wolverine?" Angelo asked sharply, joining the group. "What's he doing here?"

"Tryin' to chase off Remy, as far as I can tell."

"Smart man," Everett growled.

Paige gave Everett a hard look, and then put her arm around Jubilee's shoulder. "And Wolverine didn't say that he wanted you back, did he? You still love him, but he didn't tell you that he loved you. That's why you still look unhappy, and why you came back by yourself, isn't it?"

She really hated it when Paige was right about things. "Yeah. More or less."

The team shared a united look over Jubilee's head. She realized that they were back onto their 'We Hate Wolverine' kick. The argument started up again, about exactly how horrible Wolverine was and what they could to punish him for hurting their friend.

Jubilee wanted to scream at them, because even now, she couldn't stand it when people ragged on Wolvie. But this was her best chance to escape them, while they argued about what to do about Wolverine, 'cause for the moment, they were ignoring her. Jubilee hesitated, then ducked under Paige's arm and ran up the stairs, locking the door of her room behind her.

Finally inside the dubious safety of her room, she spied a small ivory envelope propped up on her desk. It had her name on it, and she took it curiously, wondering what was going on. She opened, and discovered a card inside. She read it. Scrawled in Gambit's bold handwriting, the message said:

_Will you have dinner with me tonight?_

Remy

She grinned suddenly for no reason at all. She didn't know that she wanted Gambit - was, in fact, still coming to terms with the concept of Remy as a romantic partner - but it felt good to be wanted, to be *pursued*. And even better to know that she had a chance of spending a couple of hours with someone who would do his best to entertain her, and would not talk about Wolverine or her love life, or any other topic of that nature. Just like this afternoon. Compared to the alternative - going down to dinner with the fanatic anti-Wolverine crowd who'd slam him and pity her,the invitation from Gambit was hands down the winner.

Jubilee turned the card over. There was a phone number on the back and she called it, letting Gambit know that she would be delighted to go to dinner with him at seven p.m.

At ten 'til seven, she heard an engine approaching the parking lot. Drawing a deep breath, Jubilee unlocked the door to her room and opened it cautiously. Contrary to her expectations, there was no barricade on the other side, and no one waiting to jump her.

Good. Now all she had to do was sneak out safely.

Tiptoeing in heels was not her strong suit, and her bright yellow dress made her easy to spot should someone be lurking. But she made it down the stairs and out the door without attracting pursuit. Maybe the rest of the team all thought she was sulking or something.

Gambit smiled as he saw her, although the length of the skirt might've had something to do with it, and bowed deeply, a gesture that made her giggle. "Mademoiselle, your chariot awaits," he said, waving at the waiting vehicle.

"It's a car!" Jubilee said, feeling silly at being so startled by that. Just because Remy usually rode a motorcycle - just like Wolvie, her inner voice reminded her, before she could tell it to shut up - didn't mean that he *always* did. And it was rather cute. If you liked the whole red Porsche thing.

"But of course. De evening may get chilly. Can't have you shivering, chere."

"That's really thoughtful. Thank-"

"T'ank Gambit later." His eyes gleamed. "Over candlelight and champagne, non?"

"Candlelight, yes. Champagne - ick! Why do they have to take a perfectly good sparkling drink and put alcohol in it? Completely ruins the taste."

He studied her for a minute, and then grinned. "I don' know,p'tite. Dere mus' be a reason."

Gambit came around the car to open her door. Jubilee frowned as she followed him. "Yeah. To make it easier for guys to get laid."

He choked as she stepped into the car. "You aren' supposed t'say dat, chere."

She waited for him to shut the door, and come back around to sit down in the driver's seat. "Why not?"

He grinned again. "I don' know. Must be a reason."

Jubilee frowned at him, but it was hard to maintain a stern attitude when faced with Gambit's irrepressible nature. Not to mention her own, even if it *had* been repressed a bit by recent events. "You can tell me all about it over dinner."

"Dat's not nice, chere."

"But it will be entertaining."

Wolverine scowled in the shadows, watching Gambit escort Jubilee to the car. The Cajun bowed over her hand and kissed it,then let her enter the vehicle.

Good. For his health. Because if Gumbo had really kissed Jubilee, he'd have difficulty breathing with ten inches of metal in his lungs.

Logan had watched them talking earlier, stalking them throughout the afternoon. He'd seen how easy Jubilee was in Gambit's company, how quick to laugh, how happy and unencumbered. She'd enjoyed herself. Every moment of it. And every moment of it had burned inside Wolverine.

He wanted her, damnit. Wanted her for himself, and to be only his. Forget about logic. Forget about reason. He'd tried that. Had tried telling himself that he didn't want her and couldn't want her, that he felt nothing for her, and that even if he did, she'd tried to tamper with his independence. And jealousy and rage still inflamed him as he watched Gambit with her. No, he wanted Jubilee for his own. If that were even possible now.

What did he have to offer her anyway? He'd hurt her and he'd left her. He made her cry, if he could believe Gumbo about that. The Cajun could make her laugh; he was certainly more attractive. And had more money, Logan was sure. His varied careers had left him with a small stock of investments, but the former thief was worth millions. If you liked that thing. And Wolverine knew that many women did.

All he had to offer the girl was himself, his tortured past and his uncertain future.

There wasn't a reason in the world that she should prefer him to Gambit. Not a reason at all. In fact, with the evidence of his own senses from today, Wolverine was fairly sure that Jubilee *did*prefer Gambit.

But she was his. And Wolverine intended to keep her.

If he could figure out how to get her back.

Jubilee blew an errant strand of hair out of her face, and contemplated the candles again. Two elegant white candles illuminated the tiny table with their light, making the china,glass and metal sparkle even more. The white roses in the crystal vase didn't look shabby either. Or the lace of the tablecloth. Or the guy sitting across from her, his knees bumping against hers.

No, all in all, it was a perfect romantic scenario.

And she was bored to the point of wondering whether she should start playing footsie with Gambit. The only thing stopping her was the thought that it might encourage him to keep blathering on even further.

All he could talk about was romance and love and stuff like that. Yeesh. The last thing she wanted to talk about right now.

"What do you t'ink, chere?"

*That I could get that fork about three-quarters of an inch into your hand before you could stop me.* She hadn't been listening. An affirmative reply should do the trick. "I think that's nice, Remy."

He visibly glowed, a woman's fantasy of male pulchritude in his white shirt and dark dinner jacket.

Oh, no. What had she just answered 'yes' to? "If you like that kind of thing," she added hastily.

"You don't like roses?"

Ah. Roses. A fairly safe topic. "They're okay."

"What's your favorite flower, p'tite? Gambit surprise you with a bouquet."

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you."

He laughed, seemingly enthralled by her sarcasm. "Dat's coy,chere."

*Coy?* He thought she was *coy*! She was definitely going to stick her fork in him. Jubilee picked the utensil up, just as dessert arrived. The tiny chocolate truffle was placed before her,and she smiled gracefully in recognition that now was not the time. Chocolate was more important than petty revenge.

After finishing the sweet, Jubilee sipped on her sparkling apple juice and listened.

"Now dat's not de way you treat a lady," her swain said. "Gambit t'ink dat when you find a good t'ing, you got to hold onto it and not let it go. Dere's not dat many good t'ings in de world and when you find one, you must cherish it."

"Ever heard of 'if you love something, let it go'?" Jubilee asked.

"Dat's what I'm talking 'bout, chere," Gambit said, displaying his white teeth to her in a grin. "When somet'ing you love come to you, den you love it and take care of it. You don't t'row it away."

He meant her, Jubilee knew. But just to throw some levity into the conversation- "So what you're saying is that you and Rogue are getting serious, then."

"Non!" His eyes widened and his face grew distraught. "I mean you, chere. Gambit wan' you. You're here, and Gambit say dat he would love you wit' all de strength of his heart if you love him back." He reached out to her, palm up. "Please say 'yes'."

So much for the power of ambiguity. "No, please... I really should..." Run away? Hide in the bathroom? "...go back home,"she finished.

His hand dropped as did his face. Gambit's eyes fell into the shadows, and momentarily, Jubilee regretted having hurt his feelings. She *did* like him, after all. If she wasn't fairly sure that any positive word would only encourage him, she'd apologize in a second.

"Gambit go too fast. Sorry, p'tite. Didn't t'ink about how you must feel 'bout Logan still. You need more time to t'ink about t'ings and dat."

Jubilee supposed that was close enough to the truth. She would have been perfectly happy in Remy's company if only he'd had something to say that wasn't about relationships and passion and all that. But she'd tried explaining that over the salad course and he hadn't taken a hint. Nor had he taken the hint over the entree. "I just... think I should be getting home."

He did not pursue her further. "As you wish."

She smiled with relief, and let him take her home.

When they arrived back at the Academy, Gambit walked her to the door of the building and bowed over her hand. "Au revoir?"

She smiled as he kissed her hand. It was the perfect touch -not coming so close to her to make her back away again, but still putting her under his spell. She really did like it when he behaved like this - romance was okay, in small doses. "Yes,Remy."

Then she went inside. The hall was quiet, as well it should be at that hour. She slipped out of her shoes and walked up the stairs in her stockinged feet. The wood felt rounded under her cramped feet. Why were shoes always the wrong size? They must have shrunk in between the store and her closet. It was the only explanation.

Jubilee opened her door quietly and shut it behind her,locking it again. She didn't need any interruptions should someone hear her sneaking in. The last thing she wanted was to chat about her day or her evening. Or anything else.

As she set her shoes down, she realized that there was more to the shadows around her bed than just air. The shadows were a good deal more solid than that. So someone *did* want to chat. *Oh,god. Please don't let it be Paige.* Paige had always interfered in Jubilee's life - Jubilee supposed it had to do with Paige having been her roommate for so long. Thank god the other girl wasn't anymore. *Too bad I can't lock the door when I'm _outside_the room. It'd make life a lot easier.*

And then she realized who it was. The shape was too thick for Paige, too quiet for most anyone else. And it was familiar. The lingering smell of cigar smoke was also a glaring tip-off. Her eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here, Wolvie?"

"Waitin' for you, darlin'."

"Don't call me that."

"It's what you are t'me," he said simply.

"I hate you." She pulled the pink scarf off and dropped it on the desk. "You left."

"I know."

"Well?" she asked when he said nothing further. "Why are you here? Going to give me some big speech about how Remy isn't good enough for me?"

"No, darlin', I'm not."

Her knees felt weak for some unknown reason, and she felt for the back of the chair, holding onto it for balance. "Then why *are* you here?" she challenged, not wanting to give away any weakness, especially to him, even to let him know that she wanted him more desperately than anything else in the world.

"For you."

"Why for me? What about me? You don't like me anymore,remember? I manipulated you. I used you. I'm a terrible person. Does any of that sound familiar?"

"I made a mistake, darlin'."

Her eyes narrowed. "That must be a first. Assuming that's an apology - and it's a pretty lame one if it is - how do I know you aren't going to get mad at me all over again the first time I do something you haven't rubberstamped in advance? Like, are you going to be mad about me for saying this right now, or is this already in your plan?"

"You don't know," he said. "I'm hopin' you'll take me the way I am. An' hit me over the head if I do somethin' this stupid again."

"You have a very hard head."

"I know."

"I don't want to get broken over your hard head."

"Jubilation, you don't need anythin' t'hurt me." His voice was low and rough. "Jus' knowin' I made you cry hurts worse than gettin' beaten up anyday."

"That's the healing factor," she said, her voice beginning to shake. He wanted her. He was offering himself to her.

He growled. "The only thing the damned healin' factor doesn't heal is my heart. Maybe I've been too much of a canucklehead to see it, but darlin', I need you-"

She wasn't sure if his control broke first or hers. She found herself in his arms, crying in great gulping sobs as he crushed her to his chest. Not tears of sadness, but tears of relief and joy. The feel of him, the very smell of him reassured her and comforted parts of her that she'd forgotten were hurting. Her hands tangled in his hair and pulled at his head. Growling, he answered her unspoken request, his head ducking down over hers. She raised her face to him, as they met each other for a long-denied kiss.

Neither of them saw the silhouette against the window as a long, lean shape dropped a red rose, then stood up and stepped away.

-the end-


	4. Revenge is a Dish Best Served by Generat...

SUMMARY: Adult material, sexual content. After Wolverine and Jubilee reconcile, they still have the wrath of Generation X to deal with. Will the team be able to forgive Wolverine as easily as Jubilee did?

NOTES: Okay, okay, I've been corrupted. This was only meant to be a one story deal - but the characters just grabbed hold of me and won't let go, so here's number four in the cycle. It isn't my fault! Really! Astalon, Kiwi and Punkin are my own creation.

ARCHIVE: Please. As often as possible and wherever you like.

Revenge Is A Dish Best Served By Generation X, by Mercutio

Part One

The knock on her door woke Jubilee from a deep and peaceful sleep. One of the best she'd had in a long time, she could tell,without even needing to wake up enough to evaluate the pros and cons of her previous sleeping experiences. "Go away!" she yelled,not moving her head from the comfortable surface it was resting against.

"It's me, Paige! We need to talk!"

Jubilee grumbled, gradually being forced into full wakefulness. Sunlight hit her closed eyelids. "I don't wanna talk. Come back tomorrow."

"It's about Wolverine!"

*Wolverine?* The name caught her attention instantly, as it probably always would, much like waving anything white in front of Frosty caught hers. Something nagged at the back of Jubilee's mind, something important she needed to remember regarding that name, but she didn't want to track it down. She wanted to go back to sleep.

Unfortunately, Paige *had* mentioned the magic word. "All right, all right," Jubilee said, grumbling even more fiercely. "Give me a sec."

She raised her head, then dropped it again, in favor of nuzzling her cheek against the warmth of the pillow. Paige could wait until she'd woken up; this firecracker was going back to sleep. The thought drifted through her fuzzy mind that Frosty was really overdoing the whole hand-loomed linen thing - Jubilee could distinctly feel the fibers in the cloth.

Paige continued knocking, loud enough to wake up a vampire,and the nineteen-year-old replied grumpily - like she was going to be anything else in the morning - "I'll open the door in a minute." Reluctantly, Jubilee pushed herself up from the extraordinarily firm surface of the bed.

"I don't think you want t'do that, darlin'," the 'bed' rumbled at her in a familiar and welcome voice.

Jubilee rubbed her eyes. She must be dreaming. This had to be a dream. Since when was her bed made out of superheroes? After rubbing her eyes with one hand, she opened them for the first time that morning. Beneath her rested a - naked! - Wolverine. His arm curved around her waist, and her comfortable pillow had been his chest. His eyes were half-closed, but she thought she could see a twinkle from beneath his eyelids that matched the hint of a grin on his face. The events of the day before came back to her then - her rejection of Logan, and her subsequent date with Gambit. The almost comically disastrous evening that had followed,and then Wolverine's sudden, unexpected appearance in her room. And the results of the ensuing discussion. The extremely satisfactory results.

"Wolvie!" She threw her arms around his neck and began kissing him wildly. No wonder she'd woken up feeling happy and like all was right with the world. Everything *was* right with the world.

His lips met hers, greedily taking everything she offered him. Rough stubble brushed against her face, and she broke away from the kiss to rub her face against his, savoring the feel of his skin against hers. He growled and recaptured her mouth hungrily. As Jubilee's arms braced her body against his chest, Logan's held her tenderly close, as though afraid that this most precious thing might be taken away from him.

"Jubilee! I'm trying to help you!" Paige shouted from behind the door. Then a disgusted sigh could be heard. "Fine! Be that way!"

Stomping receded into the distance, and Jubilee grinned down at Logan, blissfully happy that she'd remembered to lock the door the night before. And even more happy that her mental shields against telepathic intrusion seemed to have stayed up. If anyone knew what was *really* happening in here, Frosty would be bursting in here with the 'We Hate Wolverine' committee right behind her -probably at a really awkward moment, too - all demanding revenge. And last night - as well as this morning, if all went the way she was already plotting - were certainly awkward moments. "One problem taken care of. Now we ought to have the rest of the morning to ourselves."

"Nearly afternoon now, darlin'."

"Even better."

Rage, hate and bitterness.

Those were the primary emotions Emma Frost sensed from the chaotic sink of negativity that centered on the school's library. The same emotions that had been radiating from Everett ever since he had encountered Jubilee together with Wolverine in the mansion only two days before. Emma had sensed those emotions even then,although only in retrospect did they seem important. At the time,the disturbance in Everett's thoughts had seemed minor, as ordinary a thing as Paige's disappointment at leaving her brother. But now Everett's emotions had become a major problem. His obsessive brooding blocked her ability to see emotion or thought in the rest of the house - when she sent out a psychic probe, it slid into the morass of resentment that currently comprised Everett Thomas'thoughts, and she could sense nothing more. It was as though a dense fog had settled over the house, and nothing was visible but that fog.

It was hard to understand how a non-telepath could cause such an overwhelming problem. Normally only a telepath or an empath could swamp their surroundings with so much raw emotion. A non-telepath could radiate such thoughts but, without the telepathic power, would not be able to project them like this. Such thoughts could be easily shielded from, and would have caused Emma little worry. She wondered whether Everett's mutant ability might have something to do with this. As Synch, he possessed the ability to put himself "in tune" with many things, including the mutant powers of another person. If, for instance, he had synched himself with Emma's own telepathic powers, he could be radiating hate with the strength of one of the most powerful telepaths on the planet.

She paled, although it was difficult to tell when the person paling was a blonde of fair complexion who happened to be wearing white - a tactic she had used to her advantage before to avoid showing her emotions. That explanation made sense. Perhaps he had originally done it out of instinct - when Jubilee avoided him as well as the rest of the team, he might have sought out the telepathic power as a means of monitoring her presence when she had retreated from him. He might even have used telepathy to attempt to convince her to his way of thinking - his failure could account for the deep pit of near-madness he was now in. That he was now drawing all of them into.

It was time and past time to do something about this.

White stiletto heels clicked down the hall. The White Queen found two of her students busily occupied in the erection of a vaulted-ceiling-high scaffolding in the entry way. Dropcloths had been properly laid down, and the furnishings of the house properly protected against damage.

"What, may I ask, are you doing?" she asked with deceptive calm. "Don't you have classes?"

Angelo, tied to the scaffolding with several twists of skin,answered before Starsmore could make the attempt. "Uh - this is a class project. For a... demonstration."

She tried to read the outermost layer of his mind, and found herself deflected away into the haze of anger emanating from the library. Drat. She'd have to resort to more elementary means of communication. Like talking. "A demonstration of what, ?"

The formal mode of address caught his attention as she knew it would. She was becoming rather tired of the lack of discipline that had ensued upon their return from the festivities in New York. It made sense to extend some leniency to Jubilation - she needed time to recover her usual exuberance, and Emma was waiting patiently for her student to confide in her. But the behavior of her other students! And on a Tuesday!

He straightened. "Of tactics, Ms. Frost. Like we discussed last week. With Mr. Cassidy. In his class. You weren't there. You see, we have this idea about how to neutralize an opponent who is able to deflect an ordinary attack. Strength against weakness,rather than strength against strength or weakness against strength. It had something to do with 'The Art of War' that we were reading..."

Emma held up her hand. She could see that Angelo would go on and on with his explanation, and without her telepathic abilities,she had no way of knowing what was true or not. Or cutting the explanation short by taking a summary of it from his mind. And it was becoming increasingly irritating not having those abilities. She had more important things to do than bully her students. "That's all right. Sean knows about this, of course?"

"Absolutely."

She nodded. Fine. Emma walked away, secure in the knowledge that her job had been done for the moment. Once she took care of Everett though, she would certainly do something about the current laxity in schedules.

"Whew." Angelo let out his breath once the headmistress was out of sight. "I thought for sure she was going to ask us what we were *really* doing and spoil everything. This is too important."

Jono held his hand to the place where his throat should have been and shrugged.

"Yeah, it isn't like you could tell her much of anything. Must be rough not being able to communicate. Hope that Ev lays off the negative vibes once we take our revenge on Wolverine." His tone was dark and full of nasty gibbering things that were eager to hate and destroy.

The other man shrugged again, this time philosophically, and went back to erecting the framework of the device which would allow them to set up a large set of sound speakers. And, coincidentally,some tar and feathers. Or the currently available equivalent.

Emma entered the library - a room dark with emotion as well as lack of light - located Everett in a chair by the window, and came to sit next to him. "We need to talk."

He looked up, eyes heavy with pain and wary of more of it. "I'd really rather not."

"This is important. I've tolerated your grief so far, but you are disrupting the psychic functioning of the other members of this school, and for that reason, I must interrupt you."

"Thanks for caring," he said in a voice too tired to support sarcasm, looking away and hiding his eyes in the shadows that cloaked the library. With the electric lights turned off, only the sunlight that managed to get through the long narrow windows illuminated the room. Patches of bright light marred the gloom of the room that otherwise so perfectly matched Everett's mood.

Emma maintained her steady gaze. "Sympathy is irrelevant to this discussion. You already have, I believe, the sympathy of your fellow students, and myself as well. Indeed, with your emotions coloring the psychic atmosphere, you have the empathy of everyone here who possesses more than a trace of telepathic or empathic powers. But," Emma continued, her voice still correct, but perfectly cold, like a sharpened blade, "sympathy is not what you need. Even with our sympathy, your feelings have continued to fester."

"Then what do I need?" Everett laughed hollowly. "I don't know how you're going to get me that. I can't *have* what I need."

She shook her head. "I'm not speaking of Ms. Lee."

"That's who I need."

Emma did not falter upon hearing the overwhelming bleakness of his tone. "Your problem lies inside yourself. *You* need. You are, in fact, needing so much that you have engulfed all of Generation X in your needs. Do you think that the presence of one person in your life could possibly be enough to close that gap? It rarely is, and if it had been, you would almost certainly have been dead already from the shock of losing that person. Most flaws can only be closed from within, or cauterized from without. They cannot be filled with other people. Emplate learned that lesson to his cost and ours, draining too many people of their life forces."

"I'm not Emplate! I'm nothing like him."

"Indeed? Perhaps you do not have his powers, but you are attempting the same action. You are attempting to fill a lack in yourself with the unwilling sacrifice of another person."

His hurt could be read on his face now, as her words brought him back from the cold place he had retreated to inside himself. "I wouldn't... it's not like that. I love Jubilee."

"The emotions you're projecting are not love, Everett. Your thoughts are filled with hate and resentment. However," she said,forestalling another protest, "your feelings have no bearing on the current problem."

"I thought you just said that they were the problem."

She nodded. "The problem is that you're projecting those thoughts."

"Projecting? Like a telepath? I'm not-" He stopped as he realized what Emma was trying to convey. "You think that I've synched myself to you."

"Given the strength of your thoughts, yes. If you stop using your power, then the telepathic problem should be resolved." She paused for a moment, then continued in a softer voice. "If you wish to talk about your feelings, I'd be happy to assist you. However, I respect your privacy."

His fists were clenched in his lap. "I'll do that. I didn't realize I was affecting the others - I just-" Everett broke off,closing his eyes to concentrate on reversing the synchronization process.

*You just couldn't see anyone outside yourself,* Emma thought,a little sadly. She doubted that Everett would want to talk about his feelings for Jubilee. He would most likely continue to wall himself away, a course of action that would benefit no one.

He opened his eyes. "Ms. Frost," Everett said, apprehensive. "I can't unsynch myself."

* * *

Part Two

"So what you're saying is that Wolverine's going to be dumb enough to walk under that contraption, and then somehow you're going to manage to drop the glue on him - without him first smelling it - and then you're going to drop the feathers on him -again, without him knowing they're there, and all while he just stands there and lets it happen?" Astalon asked, fists on her hips,staring up at the scaffolding that had been erected in the hallway.

"Um, basically yes, chica," Angelo replied defensively.

"And how far away are you planning on being when this happens?"

"Over there." He pointed to a recess in the hallway.

"About ten feet, then." She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, so?"

"Which gives you - what? - maybe four to six seconds to live before Wolverine figures out what happened, realizes that you're there, and has you by the throat?" Angelo didn't respond to that,looking thoughtful for the first time in the brief conversation. "Good plan," Astalon commented sarcastically, seeing that one of her points had finally hit home. "Hope you have life insurance."

"You think you could do better?"

"I know I couldn't do worse." Coming from a person whose power resulted in disaster for her own teammates as often as it did for the bad guys, the statement was more of a joke than a threat.

Unfortunately, Angelo liked jokes. "So what do you have in mind?"

Wolverine's low voice rumbled underneath her, vibrating the part of her body resting against his chest. "I hate to be the one to tell you this, darlin', but we're going to have to get up sometime."

Jubilee sighed heavily. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Hunger calls and all that." She raised her head to look into his amused face. "If you'd made my stash of candy last longer, then it wouldn't be so much of a problem, y'know."

His hand ran soothingly over the bared skin of her back. "I seem ta recall havin' to pull rank to get you to give me any."

She arched her back against his touch, then smiled,remembering exactly what 'pulling rank' had entailed. "Geez,Wolvie, all you had to do was *ask*. 'Course, once you brought up that you were older than me, I just couldn't let a geezer like you starve."

"Geezer?" He grabbed her - not that she was trying to get away - and rolled on top of her, looking down at her with a playful snarl on his face. "*Geezer*?"

Jubilee was reaching up to touch his cheek and draw his face down for a kiss, when his expression went dark.

"Yeah, I suppose I am," he said seriously, all playfulness gone. "Don't know that I have any business bein' with someone as young as you."

Lightly, but with deep concern, Jubilee asked, "So, you think that if I'd fallen in love with someone like Ev then I'd be baking apple pies and raising kids and being all-American and having white picket fences and stuff like that? 'Cause, y'know, it's not likely to happen. We're, like, heroes and all that. 'Sides, I don't like apple pies."

He scowled at her. "There's nothin' wrong about wanting a family."

"Then why don't Scott and Jean have any kids?" Knowing that she'd struck a good point, Jubilee pressed her advantage. "We don't get ordinary, innocent lives - their 'kid' is older than they are and not too cuddly unless you think sleeping with heavy weaponry is cool."

The scowl got fiercer. "*I* want kids."

"Oh."

"Yeah, 'oh'. Whaddaya got to say about that?"

Jubilee flinched as she realized what she was thinking. She said it anyway. "That maybe I'm too young for that yet? That maybe I don't really want to have kids right now?"

Logan closed his eyes, then slid off her, lying down on the bed. "That's what I thought."

Jubilee sat up and thumped him on the chest with her hand. It was her turn to lean over him. "So - what? Are you in some sort of hurry? We've been together like a week and already you're talking about kids and all - you gotta give me some time to adjust. Wolvie, you can't give up on me just because you want kids and I've never thought about it happening to me personally. An'we're supposed to talk about major relationship things before jumping into them. I mean, what's next? Are you going to start proposing before you've even taken me on a date?"

His eyes opened, a glint of humor replacing the coldness that had been there before. "I don't know. After going out with Gumbo,I might not live up to your standards."

She thumped him again, this time with a relieved smile now that the subject had changed to something more manageable. "Pleeeease don't remind me about that. What a mistake that was. All Remy wanted to talk about was candlelight and flowers and my eyes being reflecting pools of something or other and feelings and stuff. I was trying to decide whether stabbing him would get him to shut up."

"You got something against love, darlin'?"

Jubilee rested her head on his shoulder, curling up against him. "Nah. Not exactly. Well, maybe. Love's okay. I love you and there isn't any way you can get me to stop."

Logan hugged her tightly. "I love you too, Jubilation."

She rubbed her cheek against his chest, kissing it tenderly. "I know. But keep saying it anyway, okay?"

His chuckle rumbled under her cheek, and she stroked his chest gently before going on. "But love and thinking that you're in love and being in love with the whole idea of love aren't the same thing. That's what happened with Ev, y'know."

"What happened with who?" he asked, bristling automatically.

"Don't be jealous, Wolvie. It's over, and even if it wasn't,I want you." She raised herself up to look at him, face crinkling doubtfully. He had dumped her once already, and now there was the kids issue, and it wasn't like she was going to tie herself to him if he suddenly stopped liking her. She loved him; she didn't own him. "Unless you decide you don't want me."

"Ain't gonna happen," he replied, crushing her to him. "I learned my lesson."

"Cool. Anyway," she continued, after kissing him deeply and rather thankfully, "like I was saying, I'd gone through the loving the idea of love thing with Ev, so when Remy tried to pull it, I wasn't about to fall for it again. Even if he did it better than Everett ever had. When I dated Ev, he had this idea of who I was and that idea wasn't really me at all, even though he thought it was. He saw some surface things about me and acted like that that was all I was. To him, I was some sort of wise-cracking irrepressible person who could entertain him, who had, like, zero depth. And I was someone who he could protect from my own irresponsibility. And I'm not irresponsible." Jubilee stared at Wolvie. "Right?"

"Of course not," Logan said with a straight face.

"Uh-huh," she said, looking unconvinced. "So I wasn't that person, and I couldn't get him to start seeing me as who I am, and so I stopped dating him. 'Cause I wanted to be who I am and be loved for that. Not what someone thinks I am. I want to be myself. But he never gave up, I guess, 'cause he's acting even more protective than ever now, like you're going to hurt me or something. And maybe it did hurt when you left-" Logan pulled her closer, face nuzzling her hair, as he heard the still-felt anguish in her voice, "-but it was still my pain and my decision what to do and I'm not a little kid who needs to be taken care of."

"You never have been since I've known ya."

"'Course not. That's 'cause I was rescuing you when I met you."

"I'm still going to protect you, darlin'. Always have," he said, warning her.

She didn't need the warning; Jubilee knew that Wolverine protecting her didn't bother her the same way that Ev or Generation X protecting her bothered her. She considered the possible reasons why. "It's different with you. I got to be your partner when we were together." Jubilee thought about some of the things that she'd been put through since joining Gen X. "It's not the same here. I've been, like, nine years old ever since getting here and I've never grown up as far as anyone's concerned who was here when I started. And I don't want to end up living down to their expectations. I mean, who really cares about putting hair dye in Frosty's shampoo? I got better things to do with my life than that. Still get blamed though. It's like being Bobby Drake,although it's kinda cool that the Drakester left the X-Men and all that. Got to start over and build a new rep. That's what I want to do. Leave here with you and start over."

"Yer a kid t'the X-Men, too."

"At least they haven't been living with me - maybe it'll be better." She remembered Cyclops' reaction to finding out that she and Wolvie were sleeping together and shook her head. "Or maybe not. But it doesn't matter. If you're the only one who can handle me being the way I am, then well, at least I get to be with you."

"That you do. As much as you can handle."

"More than that, I hope," she replied, grinning at him. "I want all of you, not just what I can handle." She stroked her hand down his chest, reaching his waist and dipping below it. "Hmm...look what I'm handling now. Think I can have that?"

"You can have anythin' you want, darlin'. You already got my heart."

And discussion of getting out of bed was put off yet again to a later time.

* * *

Part Three

Several phone calls and a four-way telepathic merge later,Synch had been forcibly unsynchronized.

Emma sat back on the couch, her spine relaxing, but otherwise showed no outward sign of having been fazed by the ordeal. Immediately, she tested the results of their labor. She reached out mentally to Jono, who was relieved to hear that telepathic communication was once again functioning. *Finally,* she thought. "Thank you for your cooperation, Everett."

Everett slumped into his own chair, a dour look still wearing his face. "Yeah, I guess. At least I'm not hurting anybody now. You can all just ignore me and not have to worry about how I feel."

She clearly heard the unspoken portion of his statement, that he believed everyone would prefer to ignore him, and shook her head. "You are welcome to talk about your concerns with myself or Sean. You will not be ignored unless you choose to be."

He considered her statement - giving it real consideration;she could tell. Hope peeked out from around the tremendous burden of depression and guilt that he carried. "At the moment, I think that's what I really want. Even if I didn't know I was doing it,I've been in everyone's faces all day, and I think I'd rather just be by myself for now."

"A wise decision," Emma agreed. "I hope you'll come to dinner." She reached for Jubilee, trying to assess her state of mind, to see whether the two young people would be able to reach some sort of accord over the meal, and met a mental block that was fraying around the edges. Emma's ethics about prying into people's minds were on the level of 'if they didn't want me to see inside their thoughts, then they should have had better defenses'. Jubilee's could be quite good when she tried. At the moment,however, mental leakage was spilling around the barrier the girl had erected, images of nakedness, and skin, and - *Jubilee!*

Emma broke off the contact, aware she'd given the game away by shrieking into Jubilee's mind. "If you'll excuse me," she said,standing, "I have a little problem that needs to be dealt with."

Jubilee started giggling. "Man oh man, are we going to get it!"

Wolverine growled at her. She'd chosen a very sensitive juncture to start laughing at him. And the possibility of a threat didn't make him any happier. "What is it?"

"How fast can you get dressed?" she asked, grinning, while remaining where she was.

"Faster if you stop doing that."

"This?" she bounced on top of him, and his fingers tightened on her hips, proving that her moment of levity had not entirely broken his concentration on the act in progress.

"Yeah. That."

She slid her hands farther apart on his chest, giving herself a broader base of support. "I don't think we have very long 'til Ms. Frost decides to break the door down. Or gets a locksmith to do it, anyway."

"That was what you were screeching about? Emma?"

"I do not screech!" She pounded the heels of her hands against his chest, which only seemed to increase the speed of his thrusting against her. "And, yeah, that was her. I think she found out that you're here. Too bad she couldn't wait any longer."

"Darlin', I'm surprised that she didn't throw me out last night when I was waiting' for you."

Jubilee shivered. "But then you wouldn't have been able to apologize and we wouldn't be here, and I'd still think you weren't very nice, and everything would be all wrong..."

He growled at the thought, kissing her deeply, then rolled her over underneath him. "If we don't have much time left, then there's something I'd rather be doin' than talkin'."

"Like what?" she asked innocently, even as her hands ran down the line of his back to his naked buttocks, pulling him more fully against her.

His mouth swooped down on hers, answering her in silence, lips demanding a different sort of response than she had been giving him, even as his hips thrust powerfully into her.

Jubilee's nails bit into his skin, encouraging him, wanting him to give her as much passion as he was willing to show. Not as much as she wanted - because she wanted all of Wolvie, even the parts he was afraid to show people, the parts that had kept him in hiding when he'd gone feral, the parts that were neither good nor bad, but just *him*.

Lying in each other's arms, resting, Logan and Jubilee's quiet conversation was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door.

Jubilee made a face. "Geez, sure took her long enough to get around to coming up here."

"Darlin', she's been standin' outside the door tapping her foot for the past five minutes or so."

Jubilee grinned suddenly. "Bet she got an earful. Wonder if she was enjoying herself?"

#*Were*, Jubilee,# came the telepathic response, correcting her grammar. #Now would you please open this door?#

Jubilee got up grumbling, shimmied into the yellow dress from the night before, and opened the door. "Yeah, what is it?"

"I believe you know what this is about, Jubilation," Emma said from the doorway, one arched eyebrow expressing her opinion of Wolverine, who was lounging comfortably on the bed, unclothed and unbothered by her presence.

"There's some sort of policy now about visitors?" Jubilee challenged, planting herself firmly between Emma and Logan.

Emma stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. "What are you trying to hide? And why?"

Jubilee's brows furrowed. Why was Ms. Frost asking a question like that? Frosty knew what Jubilee was thinking - had to have known, given the surge of telepathic outrage she'd felt - what was she getting at? "I'm not hiding anything."

Emma's assessing gaze moved past Jubilee, to Wolverine, taking in each detail of his appearance before returning to Jubilee.

Jubilee flushed despite herself. So maybe the Frost-meister knew how to push some of her buttons. No, she hadn't exactly rushed to tell anyone that Wolvie was there, and that he'd apologized, and all, but she'd had her reasons. "I- we made up. Everything's okay again."

"And so, I assume, you'll now be leaving us to return to New York with him?" Emma didn't wait for an answer, but continued in a cold, disapproving voice. "Keeping in mind, of course, that you can come running back here whenever the reality of life proves too much for you to handle?"

At one time, Jubilee might have responded with an outraged retort. Protesting loudly was certainly what everyone expected her to do - as she'd told Wolvie, a lot of people around here refused to accept that she'd grown up, that *she* could ever grow up. But instead of replying hotly, Jubilee backed off. What was Frosty trying to get at here? Emma had been relatively kind and solicitous after Wolverine had deserted her on the front steps of the mansion - Jubilee knew that Emma was concerned about her and her happiness, and had exhibited no problems at that time with Jubilee coming back to the fold. Either some sort of mindswitching had occurred, or Emma was concerned about her running into trouble again. And it wasn't hard to figure out where she might think that trouble would come from. Wolverine.

"You think I'm just gonna get hurt all over again," Jubilee said evenly. "That I'm just setting myself up to get dumped all over again. An' maybe that makes sense. It happened once, it could happen again - that's what you're thinking, right?"

Emma inclined her head coolly, as if to say that she wasn't going to commit herself either way, but would grant the point for the sake of argument.

Jubilee continued. "So it probably wouldn't mean anything to you that Wolvie won't do it again, or that I trust him now and he trusts me. Or that I have to live my own life, and figure out some things the hard way, whether or not you like it. Whether or not *I* like it very much. Or that I'm just as scared that this is all going to blow up on me as you are worried about me, or that I know I have to take the chance anyway because there's a part of me all bound up with Wolvie and losing it hurts like having everything good and vibrant and alive cut out of me. But I hope this means something to you - it makes me very angry-" more accurately,trembling all over with rage and nerves, "-that you'd do something as heartless as threatening me with the loss of the only home I've had in six years. 'Cause having a home means a lot to me. Having a family means a lot. An' I thought you and Generation X were it. An' if I shouldn't come running back here with my problems, well then, I guess you're not my family after all. Which'd mean you don't have any right to be giving me advice either. But-" she stared levelly at Emma, her arms crossed, "I hope that's not what you meant."

"Do you? Do you want my advice at all?"

Jubilee shrugged. "It won't change my mind."

Emma looked for a moment as though she might offer that advice anyway, but shook her head slightly instead. "I hope you're not expecting my blessing."

"I was just kinda hoping for a shoulder to cry on and all that." An amusing image occurred to Jubilee, and she glanced between Emma and Logan, smirking. "And, anyway, isn't it like traditional for parents to disapprove when their kids drag their boyfriends and girlfriends home?"

Emma's lips quirked into something that could have been a smile. "Do you have an answer for everything, Jubilation?"

Jubilee met that expression with a smile of her own. "Not yet."

"Hmph. Do join us for dinner. It would only be polite to do so, seeing as you-" she looked at Logan, "-are our guest, invited or otherwise."

"Sure thing," Wolverine acknowledged. "I was gettin' a mite hungry anyway."

"Yes," Emma said repressively, "well, I expect to see you then. Goodbye."

She left the room, closing the door behind her.

"That went more easily than I was expecting," Jubilee said,turning back to Wolvie and moving to sit next to him on the bed.

"More easily than I thought it could," Logan acknowledged.

Jubilee leaped at the explanation to explain the situation to him, hoping that doing so would clear things up in her own mind. "Well, see, you gotta understand that Ms. Frost really does like us all. She's kinda stiff on the outside still, but she cares, she really does."

"That's why she was about ta try ta throw me out the door then?"

Jubilee flashed on *that* image and grinned. Emma wrestling with a naked Wolverine. Could be entertaining. "Right. She wouldn't bother coming up here to yell if she didn't care. It's not like it matters to her who's sleeping with what." The what was more figurative than literal, although with some mutants and some alien species, you never really did know if they actually counted as a person or not. Not that Jubilee was into that kind of thing,although matters *had* gotten a mite confusing with the talking cabbage thing with the mental powers - it'd had quite the seductive... *mind*. But attraction to vegetables was just too weird for her.

Wolverine ignored the strange statement. "Ya love her, kid?"

Jubilee nodded. "Sounds silly, doesn't it?"

"Nah. Sounds perfectly natural."

She leaned into the warmth of his body and hugged him tightly. "Good. I don't understand it, but it's there and I don't want to change it. Not ever."

"Okay by me."

"I feel the same way about Sean, y'know."

A possessive growl rippled through him. "Now *that* I might have a problem with."

Jubilee giggled. "But he's ever so much more cuddly than Frosty."

"That's exactly what I'm having the problem with."

She giggled more loudly. "An' he's cuter too, if you like that kind of thing."

"Gonna get himself uncute pretty soon here."

"Wolvie, you're not... *jealous* are you?" Jubilee asked,pretending to be shocked.

"And if I am?" he asked, pulling her down on top of him, and rolling her over until his body was covering hers, and his face inches from her own.

She screwed up her eyebrows, as if in deep thought. "I guess I'll just have to kiss you."

* * *

Part Four

Yawning and scrubbing at her eyes, Jubilee stepped down from the staircase into the main entry way of the Massachusetts Academy,on her way to dinner with the rest of Generation X. It was nearly 6 p.m., and she was more tired now than she had been the night before, prior to going to her room.

Of course, the fact that she hadn't gotten a lot of sleep last night might have something to do with that, she reminded herself.

The cause of her lack of sleep descended the staircase behind her, looking gruff as usual. They'd both had a shower, and his drying hair was beginning to stick up from where it'd been slicked down against his head. Wolvie appeared irritable, hungry and unapproachable - at least, to anyone who didn't look beyond his rough features to notice the smiling lines of his mouth and the crinkle to his eyes. Jubilee did.

She grinned at him. "C'mon, slowpoke, no one's going to bite you."

"You sure about that, darlin'?" he asked, head tilted as if to catch a sound from the hallway beyond.

"Sure, I'm sure. Hit you certainly, try to kill you maybe,even slice and dice you if nobody hid the knives. But not *bite*you," Jubilee said merrily, tugging on his hand and leading him toward the kitchen.

Logan grinned back. "So yer sayin' there's going to be some after-dinner entertainment then. You shouldn't have, darlin'."

"Well, I wanted you to feel at home," Jubilee joked. One of Wolverine's favorite forms of entertainment was going out to a bar for a beer and a brawl. It *was* kinda funny to imagine him at dinner, plates being flung around as various people went flying through the windows. She turned somber. On the other hand, there was the matter of the revenge upon the Wolvster that had been sworn by the various members of GenX... "Y'know, the 'We Hate Wolverine'Society is probably still out in force."

"What society?" he asked, looking suspicious.

"Well, see, people kinda took it personally that you dumped me, and well, um..." she shrugged. "It's just what I've been calling them - Angelo and Paige and Ev and all those guys been jumping on me and telling me that you're awful and that they want to get back at you and stuff like that."

His expression remained suspicious, which was a more-or-less neutral look for Wolverine. "An' you went along with this?"

"Nah," she said, squeezing his hand in quick reassurance. "It's not that I didn't think you *deserved* it," she said,grinning slightly at him, "but I thought that if there was going to be any kind of revenge, then I should be the one to do it. More satisfying that way. Having everyone else want to beat up on you..." she shivered. "I couldn't stand that. I'd break out in spots or something. Guess that doesn't make much sense to you that I was mad at you but I didn't want anyone else to be."

He drew her into his arms and kissed her soundly. "I get the idea."

Jubilee smiled as he released her. She was probably just making a big deal out of nothing. 'Sides, there was nothing that the Wolvster couldn't handle. Even her teammates. "Great! So let's eat!"

With that issue resolved, they made their way to the kitchen. Wolverine would have liked to keep Jubilee tucked into the corner of his arm, but every time he tried to snare her, she would mold against him for a few moments before returning to the exuberant bouncy stride that pulled her away from him. She retained her hold on his hand, but couldn't repress her excitement.

Turning the corner, Logan let himself be tugged along,enjoying Jubilee's obvious happiness. *I hope her friends don't spoil this for her,* he growled to himself. *She's too happy now,an' I made her too sad earlier. She deserves to be happy.*

Caught up in his thoughts, pulled along by Jubilee, and not expecting an attack, the first warning he got of danger was the sight of a handful of glitter dusting the air as it floated to the floor.

Glitter? What the hell?

He looked up and saw a platform above him. For a moment, he was disoriented. After all, glitter was scarcely the kind of attack he was used to. But a set-up was a set-up any way you looked at it, and his nose was catching bits of scents he didn't like very much. Especially combined with Jubilee's earlier warning. Swearing under his breath at the bad timing of amateurs,Wolverine sprang forward, pushing Jubilee out of the way, trying to get the both of them to safety before the prank - whatever it was - could be unleashed upon them.

As he did, he brushed against the wall - which moved, first slowly and then in heavy shudders.

Slamming into the floor and knocking the breath out of Jubilee, who was under him, Logan risked a look up and back. The wall seemed to be coming apart, and he then noticed the scaffolding that had blended in with the wall. Cursing, he realized that he and Jubilee didn't have time to move - they were going to be underneath it when it fell.

He put his head down, nuzzling his face into the side of her neck, and hoped that the protection of his body would be enough to keep her safe.

Jubilee was breathing heavily under him but didn't move. She shuddered as she felt multiple impacts hit the body covering hers,and squeezed her eyes shut when she felt him go limp. Unconscious. *Way to go, team,* she thought bitterly. *So they really do hate him.*

Voices started shouting. Jubilee tried not to choke on the dust and glitter suspended in the air. Geez. Talk about overkill.

#Are you all right, gel?# Jono's telepathic voice said,contacting her.

#Yes,# she sent in reply, then added, #But I think Wolvie's hurt. Not that you'd care.#

She felt him first recoil, then shut down the connection between them. *Serves him right,* she thought.

Multiple hands lifted the weight of debris from her, then finally, moved Logan's body. Jubilee remained there for a moment,readjusting to the sensation of being able to breathe freely, then slowly levered herself up. Pushing herself into a sitting position, she looked around.

The hallway was totally destroyed. Wreckage littered the area. Beams and girders and metal and wood and all sorts of things, including broken furniture, lay shattered in a massive heap of debris. It looked like a Juggernaut convention had come to town. Curiously, though, in the center of the worst of the mess,there was a circle completely free of damage.

Sean bent over her, looking concerned. "Are you all right?"

Jubilee ignored him. "Where's Wolvie? I want to see Wolvie."

The headmaster stepped back gingerly, avoiding the heaped rubble, and then Jubilee saw Logan. Tears filled her eyes. He was bleeding profusely. His body was turned away from her, and she could see where parts of the metal scaffolding had been driven into his back. She couldn't see his face, and scrambling to her knees,she knelt over him, unaware that she was whispering his name over and over again.

"Oh God, you've got to be all right. Logan. *Wolvie*, please be okay." She looked at his face for the first time. His eyes were shut, and he didn't open them as she spoke to him. Shocked,all she could do was to wrap her arms around him and hold him. Some small sensible part of her knew that his healing factor meant that he would likely be all right. Knew that the best thing to do would be to let go of him so that he could be taken to the infirmary and have his wounds cleaned out so that they could heal faster. She'd seen him heal from worse. And yet, all she could do was cry and rock his body in her arms. It hurt so much to see him injured less than a day after they'd solidified their relationship,as though recognition of the bond between them increased, rather than lessened, the pain.

"Jubilee..." Sean said, touching her shoulder.

She didn't let him finish, shaking him off. Looking up, she saw that all of Generation X had gathered to see the disturbance. Her eyes picked out the people who'd been loudest in putting down the Wolvster. Everett. Monet. Angelo. Jono. "You happy now?"she asked, knowing she was angry and not caring. "Is this what you wanted? To hurt him? 'Cause you did it. An' I'm not going to forget it."

She was about to start into an angry tirade when she felt Emma's touch on her mind, silencing her. Outraged, she stared at the headmistress.

#He's alive, Jubilation,# Ms. Frost said coolly to her alone. #And your teammates did not intend to harm him in this fashion. Wait until you have recovered from this shock before taking your revenge upon them. They are truly sorry that this has happened.#

Jubilee snorted, but gave up after giving the assembled group one last glower. It was useless fighting Frosty on her own terms. And Wolverine was more important to her anyway. #I'm not gonna forget,# she said, aiming one last parting shot at Emma, as Sean lifted Logan from the floor.

#I haven't asked you to do so.#

Jubilee followed Sean away from the others, leaving silence in her wake.

Emma turned to her students. One long level look reduced them all to staring at their feet. "I won't ask you what you have to say for yourselves, as nothing you could say would influence my opinion. Angelo, Jonothan - I assume you used the earlier disruption in telepathic communication to conceal your activities from me, as I sincerely doubt the veracity of your earlier excuse. This was in no way sanctioned by Sean."

Angelo and Jono, covered in the glue and glitter they had planned to dump on Wolverine, winced.

"However, you seem to have found your own punishment. I suggest a sincere apology to Miss Lee, and then perhaps several hours cleaning up the mess that you have made."

Emma turned to Everett. "I suggest you help your friends, as this at least in part was due to your influence upon them."

Monet received a level glance. The Algerian girl had entered the hall only after all of the damage had already been done, and looked as innocent - and self-satisfied - as a cat sunning itself on a window sill. Paige seemed ready to run after Jubilee, her face full of concern as she studied her shoes. Emma passed her over, as well as the younger members of the team, to settle on Astalon.

Astalon, who had been at the center of the destruction, and yet remained untouched by it.

"I assume," Emma said, "that we have you to blame for the unexpected alteration in your teammates' plan?" It was a rhetorical question. Astalon's mutant power, such as it was, was that she could not be harmed. Not invulnerable, her power instead worked in subtle and often disastrous ways to keep her from danger. Such as, perhaps, the redirection of one very heavy scaffolding away from her and onto someone else.

"Very well," Emma concluded. "All of you are assigned to aid in cleaning up this mess. I'm sure the experience will do you good. I expect those of you personally at fault to apologize to Logan." She turned, and stalked away.

Angelo shuddered. "Apologize to *Wolverine*? Man, I'd rather go out and slit my throat myself."

"It would be one way of solving the problem," Monet observed. "If you had consulted me, I would have informed you that this plan would not work."

"You had a better idea?" Angelo challenged.

"Of course."

A tendril of skin snaked around behind the group to grab a mysteriously unused pot of glitter. It was dumped onto Monet, who looked distinctly offended. Punkin and Kiwi joined in, scooping up what had fallen to the ground and throwing it around.

Then the screaming started.

Part Five

"What do you think that is?" Sean Cassidy asked his fellow teacher, as faintly heard screaming drifted into where they stood,outside the infirmary, waiting for Wolverine to recuperate as they talked privately about their students.

Emma Frost, the headmistress of the school and a vision in the white leather that constituted the main part of her dominatrix persona, concentrated. "I believe that a glitter fight is in progress."

Sean sighed deeply. "If I didna already have Terry, I'd never have children."

Emma regarded him, amused. She knew he had a deep affection for their students, even in trying times like these. "I'll be sure to keep that advice in mind."

"Nae. You'd make a wonderful mother, Emma."

"Of course I would. I already have a fine collection of whips."

Sean sputtered, and then laughed openly, breaking the tension that had settled over them since first hearing the crash in the hallway and seeing Jubilee and Wolverine buried under the rubble.

"The difficult part," Emma observed after a moment, "is letting them go."

"Yes, that it is," he agreed, sighing again. "That it is."

Logan's eyes had begun opening drunkenly from the moment he was laid down on the bed in the infirmary. Jubilee had assisted Sean in cleaning the wounds made by the falling debris, then jealously perched herself in a chair placed by Logan's head as soon as the headmaster was out of the room.

"Hey, darlin'."

"Hey, yourself," Jubilee said, smiling, her eyes still half-full of the tears she'd shed when she had first seen his injuries. But when she spoke, her words held nothing of the concern she felt for him. He'd taken worse, and he didn't appreciate being babied. And she needed to believe that. "So what are you lying there like a wussy for? Can't the big tough Wolverine take a little bit of a building dropping on him?"

"You got a smart mouth on ya."

"You're just noticing that? Wow. You must've been hit harder than I thought."

He grimaced, and pulled himself up so that he was sitting crosswise on the bed. "There's no good way to get hit by a building, darlin'."

"I woulda thought you could outrun a building," Jubilee said,the humor making her feel better. "I mean, it's an inanimate object. That means it's slow, y'know. You lettin' yourself get out of shape?"

"It's the momentum," he said solemnly, then scowled. "I feel like givin' somebody a piece of my mind for that."

"How big of a piece?"

His claws snapped out. "About that much."

"Well, that's good. I don't think anybody here had that much brains to start with - if you give them that much, then maybe they'll do better next time. 'Course, used Wolverine brains prolly aren't worth as much as say, highly-educated accountant brains like the Drakester's."

He snorted, and retracted his claws. "I'm takin' this very seriously. Maybe your teammates have a problem with me - I can handle that. They want to come to me, we can talk." The flexing of his hands was a clear indication of what kind of talking he planned to do. "But they coulda killed you, an' that's something we're gonna haveta discuss."

Jubilee shook her head. She hadn't thought about that. She'd focused on her concern for Logan - and, in any case, the idea of her friends deliberately trying to harm her was... well, up until right now, it'd been... unthinkable? Okay, well, not unthinkable. It had, after all, happened before. But she would have expected them to go after her directly, or be possessed by weird alien dudes, or something like that. "They couldn't have wanted to kill anybody..." Memory prompted her with some of the conversations she'd had with the 'We Hate Wolverine' Society. "...well, they wouldn't have wanted to kill *me*."

He stared at her, his blue eyes disconcertingly clear and piercing. She squirmed. "Oh, c'mon," she said finally. "It's not like you haven't been attacked before by the X-Men for the same thing. Remember Viper?"

Logan ran a hand through his hair, leaving it more rumpled than before. "Yeah. I remember."

"I wish I didn't."

"Me too, darlin'."

"So-" Jubilee asked, her mouth twitching in the beginnings of a mischievous grin, as some of the tension left the room. "Does this mean dinner with my family is off?"

A less than happy ensemble met around the dinner table. Wolverine's scowling visage fit right in, neatly countering the palely terrified faces of the chief three conspirators - Angelo,Jono and Astalon - who had been threatened respectively with castration, further adventures in castration, and evisceration.

Jubilee grinned, looking down at her plate to hide it. Wolvie's nose could not be fooled - he'd known who had been responsible for the faulty scaffolding - and he'd singled the Tricky Trio out before dinner to have a little "talk" with them. He'd been more relaxed after that - she'd seen him growl at Emma where he'd merely ignored her before. Obviously, he was starting to be in a better mood.

Everett could barely look at her, Artie was doing their best to distance himself from the disaster - and, Jubilee thought, two sets of long claws - while Kiwi and Punkin were also affected by the strained atmosphere, and kept quietly to themselves. Paige was hanging all over Jubilee, trying to make up for her teammates'behavior by her concern. Really, only Frosty and Monet were acting halfway normally - Monet behaving like she was above all of it,and Emma serenely ignoring everything.

"Are you still leaving, then?" Paige asked, twisting at her napkin. "I mean, you were going to before, and now," she glanced quickly at Logan and back down again, "well, are you?"

"Yeah," Jubilee said. She considered what else to say, and couldn't think of anything. "It seems like the right thing to do."

"But you want to, don't you?" Paige asked. She avoided looking at Wolverine, which was difficult, because he was sitting next to Jubilee and, at the moment, glowering right at her. "You really do want to go, you aren't just going because you feel you have to, or anything like that?"

"I want to be with Wolvie. And," Jubilee said, smiling wryly and waving a hand in the direction of the infamous hallway, "I just don't think things'd work out if we stayed here."

"Not to mention that you might be required to continue studying at the college level," Emma added dryly.

Jubilee looked up at the ceiling, as if praying for divine assistance. Unfortunately, it seemed to be Archangel's night off. "Like a degree in Liberal Arts would really be useful for anything. If I ever got kicked out of the superhero biz, I could do, what? Be the most literate person in line at the welfare office? Uh-uh. I don't think so."

"I've always thought," Emma continued, unruffled, "that you would do well as an attorney."

The look of horror was genuine. "A *lawyer*? Do you hate me or what?"

Emma smiled. "Just think, you could go into politics. Perhaps even become President someday."

"Supreme Justice Jubilee," Angelo added. "You can pardon all your friends when we get in trouble."

"You people have sick, sick minds," Jubilee said firmly.

#President Lee and First Lady Wolverine,# came a stray thought from Jono's direction.

Sean sputtered, and Angelo laughed outright. Jubilee grinned at the thought of Wolvie in one of Emma's business suits, then lost it completely, giggling so hard that she had trouble breathing. "Just think... of the... pantyhose."

Logan looked appalled, then grinned back. "So the college thing is off then."

"It's sounding better and better every minute," Jubilee choked out.

Emma set down her fork. "I have a course outline you could peruse."

She couldn't take it. She really couldn't take any more of this. Jubilee wiped the tears from her eyes. "So, you think I'll get cute bodyguards in the Secret Service, or do you think I'll have to draft some?"

"Draft," Paige said.

Angelo nodded. "Draft."

Wolverine snaked his arm around Jubilee, and she looked at him. His craggy features promised her all the protection she'd ever need. Although she supposed there might be some argument over his cuteness factor. But not from her. "You know, I think that's something I won't have to worry about."

"Bodyguards?"

"No, finding a cute one."

Dinner continued to be eaten. Astalon finally ventured the question that was on the minds of every member of The Society. "So, do you really like *him*? -" she nodded at Logan, "-and why are you going back with him? How do you know he isn't going to hurt you all over again?"

Apparently, the threat of evisceration hadn't worked.

Conversation stilled, as they waited to hear Jubilee's answer. Jubilee was aware of the tension in the arm holding her. She felt some of it herself. Were they going to be quizzed by every mutant on the Eastern Seaboard about the state of their love-life? "I love Wolvie. Yeah, I'm going back, and thirdly, that's a dumb question."

Emma looked at her. "I think it's a very good question,Jubilation."

Jubilee made a face. "Y'know, once I'm off the team, you're gonna have to like call me by my code name. It's Jubilee. Get used to it."

"The question," Emma prompted. "I know you've told me your reasoning, but I think the others would appreciate knowing as well."

Darn. She hadn't been able to distract the Frost-meister. 'Course, there hadn't been much chance of *that* succeeding. "Because relationships hurt. Wolvie's probably going to hurt me and I'm probably going to hurt him. Magically perfect love doesn't exist, or if it does, it doesn't last once reality comes into the picture. The important thing is that we're going to try to work things out together from now on."

#Gel, that was almost... insightful.#

There were some surprised nods from around the table, except from the White Queen, who only looked smug.

Jubilee chuffed under her breath, and leaned back against Wolverine. "Whaddid I tell ya?" she asked him. "The last thing they expect from me is maturity."

He grinned. "Their loss, darlin'."

Twelve hours later, Jubilee and Logan were ready to hit the road, staying longer having been deemed as A) too cramped in Jubilee's twin bed, and B) too hard on the emotional state of the school's occupants. With arrangements having been made to ship her belongings to Westchester, all Jubilee had really needed to do was pack a duffle bag with a few immediate essentials to cover the transit time of her parcels.

Jubilee frowned as Wolverine secured her bag to his motorcycle. The questioning of her peers had gotten to her. And then there was the memory of Logan having ridden off on this very motorcycle only days before, leaving her behind. "Do you think everything's really going to be okay?"

He shrugged. "Nope. Things go wrong all the time."

"How comforting." Of course, he was sorta right about that. A superhero's life was rarely dull. Quite the opposite. She tried to imagine explaining the amount of on-the-job stress that they got to a psychologist. 'Yes, doctor, my classmate merged with her psychopathic brother and attempted to eat me. I've suffered recurring nightmares ever since, especially after being surrounded by energy-eating monsters last year in Boston.' No. Couldn't picture it. Not without the psychologist's head exploding or going in circles or something. "Life isn't fair."

"Who'd want it to be?" He straightened up. "Way I figure it,if life was fair, I'd be dead several times over. Sometimes we get what we deserve, but most of the time, we don't. Else, how would I have you?"

Jubilee pondered that for a moment. She *still* hadn't served any time for her juvenile stint at shop-lifting, after all. And then there was the incident with the tuna... "Good point. Still..." She put on the extra helmet that Logan carried on his bike.

"What?" he looked expectantly at her.

"I kinda think I do deserve you."

He grinned, a lazy smile that crinkled the smooth skin of his face and uncrinkled the wrinkled skin. "Well, then, I guess I feel sorry for you."

"Hey!" Jubilee swatted him.

He caught her hands easily, swinging her into his arms for a kiss. "Just think of it this way, - if your teammates were upset at me, you'd better believe that mine are going to be worse."

"Why?" she asked reasonably. "I'm happy, you're happy. What's there to be mad about?"

Logan grinned. "Nothin' at all, darlin'. Nothing at all."

-the end-


End file.
